A large reason why we do what we do…

Harper Simpson (31) and Linda (42), Meagan (22) and James Molter (20) died on January 6 in a high

speed accident when their boat stuffed into a wave and came apart near Marco Island.

Derek Colston (49) and Tyrone Royal (48) drowned on January 11 while fishing and their small boat

capsized in a Miami lake.

Cameron Elliott (35) initially survived a January 22 explosion aboard his sailboat but later died from his

injuries.

Angel Diaz (15) died on January 27 when he and his personal watercraft collided with a dock at high

speed in Miami.

Jeremiah Coon (20) drowned on February 20 when he fell off a personal watercraft without a life jacket on

the Escambia River.

Michael Carlo (56) drowned on March 2 while fishing in the Gulf of Mexico near Honeymoon Island after

somehow getting separated from his boat.

Ricardo Araujo (33) died on March 3 after being struck by the propeller of a passing boat while free

diving near Key Biscayne.

Sing Lee (50) drowned on March 11 after falling overboard while fishing from his kayak in Tampa Bay.

David Eastep (37) drowned and Eugene Trzasko (39) went missing on March 10 following a fishing trip

near Boca Grande Pass when their boat capsized and drifted away.

Barry Kutzler (57) died on March 11 after being ejected from his boat and being struck by the

propeller on Lake Istokpoga.

Patricia Hornick (75) drowned on March 12 after falling overboard while fishing on Lake Harris.

Steven Senecal (34) went missing under circumstances that indicate possible death on March

15 while boating in the Atlantic Ocean off St. Augustine.

Tyler Goldberg (14) died on March 16 when he crashed a personal watercraft into a dock at high

speed in Sunrise.

Philip Valvo (48) drowned on March 17 after falling from his boat on the Suwannee River.

William Cave (55) drowned on March 22 after falling overboard while kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico near

Grayton Beach Park.

Robert Messer (25) drowned on March 22 after being ejected from a boat on Lake Rose near Orlando.

Timothy Mitchell (57) died on March 22 when he lost control of his boat at high speed and collided with a

tree on the Suwannee River.

Richard Seeds (74) drowned on March 25 after being ejected from his boat while sailing on Tampa Bay.

Timothy Mosley (51) drowned on April 1 after being ejected in a collision with another boat on the St.

John’s River.

James Sharkey (49) drowned on April 2 after he and his three passengers were ejected from his boat on

Hunter’s Lake in Spring Hill.

Abiel Gonzalez (27) died on April 8 after being struck by a personal watercraft as he was being pulled on a

tube near Miami.

Patrick Bryant (43) drowned on April 12 when his boat capsized while he was fishing on Biscayne Bay

in rough seas.

Rickey McMurrin (49) died on April 22 while riding a personal watercraft at high speed and struck an

overhanging tree in the Boca Chica Channel.

Christopher Lydon (46) died on April 24 when he collided with another personal watercraft on the St.

Johns River.

Roberto Toruno (45) drowned on April 29 when his canoe capsized in a Miami lake.

Thomas Pye (51) drowned on May 1 after falling overboard while fishing in the St. Johns River.

Joshua Cooper (20) drowned on May 3 when his kayak overturned in the Gulf of Mexico near Destin.

Scott Howard (32) drowned on May 11 after being ejected from his boat on East Lake Toho.

Eugene Pulice (62) drowned on May 13 after he and his fishing partners were ejected from their boat near

Matlacha Pass.

Krystal Pichardo (20) died on May 13 when her personal watercraft collided with a bridge in North

Miami.

Robert Caristo (20) died on May 15 after being ejected from a rented personal watercraft and being

struck by another.

Michael Curl (50) drowned on May 18 after falling from his boat in the Gulf of Mexico near the Cotee

River.

Ralph Burney (68) drowned on May 22 after falling overboard while fishing in a Miami canal.

Moises Gomez (19) drowned on May 23 when his canoe capsized on West Lake Ellis.

Eric Guy (32) drowned on June 3 after saving his passengers following the capsizing of his boat on

Lake Monroe.

Roy Brown (46) died on June 3 while riding a personal watercraft at high speed and striking a boat’s anchor

line near Ft. Myers.

Antonio Pena (63) died on June 5 as a result of a collision with a channel marker near Sewell’s Point.

Jose Vera (46) died on June 9 after striking a bridge while operating a personal watercraft in the Miami

area.

James Chapman (71) drowned on June 15 after falling overboard while fishing on Lake Harris.

Juan Reyes (28) and Esmelen Maldonado (34) drowned on

June 24 when their small fishing boat capsized in a Palm Beach canal.

Christopher Smith (58) drowned on June 25 near Long Key after falling overboard.

Sarah Pomeroy (14) and Zoe Stoyer (46) died on June 28 after colliding with a dock and a tree while being

pulled on a tube on Lake Ellen.

David Milliken (41) drowned on June 28 after falling from his boat while shrimping in the Atlantic Ocean.

Ronald Hunt (74) died on July 5 after falling off a rented pontoon boat while trying to tie to a piling.

Osmanny Castellanos (23) died on July 8 after he fell overboard in Biscayne Bay while sitting on the

gunwale of a boat.

Glen Buffkin (65) drowned on July 9 when his boat capsized in East Pass and he was trapped in the

wheelhouse.

Emanual Yerushalmi (39) died on July 12 when his personal watercraft collided with another in Miami.

Paulo Regis (27) died on July 15 when he was struck by another personal watercraft on Lake Osborne.

MarieJoan Dutreuil (22) died on July 18 when her personal watercraft collided with a seawall near

Pompano Beach.

Amber White (15) died on July 18 when she and her sister collided with a building and trees after their

parasail line broke near Pompano Beach.

Patrick Hughes (52) drowned on July 22 after falling from his boat near Gulf Breeze.

Thomas Lakomia (60) died on August 22 after falling overboard while untying lines and was crushed

between the boat and seawall.

Omar Viera (31) died on September 1 as a result of being struck by a passing boat while snorkeling near

Bahia Honda Key.

Jack Bylsma (14) drowned on September 2 after falling from a personal watercraft and being struck by

another on Lake Okeechobee.

Benny Michael (47) drowned on September 2 after falling from a boat he was testing on Lake Starke.

Christopher Diaz (46) died on September 16 after colliding with another boat and being ejected near

Port Canaveral.

Roderick Page (21) drowned on September 24 after being ejected from a boat on the Suwannee River

when the operator swerved to avoid a jumping fish.

Daniel Propes (46) and Dale Puricelli (49) both drowned on September 30 on Lake Tarpon after one

fell overboard and the other tried to rescue him.

Mark Babinec (37) died on September 30 after he struck an overhead water pipe crossing the Dania

Cutoff Canal.

Charles Lowe (35) drowned on October 3 when his boat capsized on Taylor Creek Canal.

Willie Toney (66) died on October 4 when his boat swamped while he fished on Deer Point Lake.

Robert McLeod (32) drowned on October 9 while attempting to swim to shore after being ejected from

a boat on Lake Wimico.

Mark Nickles (48) died on October 20 after colliding with a dock while boating at night on San Carlos Bay.

Walter Paris (78) drowned on October 23 after falling overboard while fishing near Tallahassee.

George Mallenius (58) drowned on November 11 after falling overboard while fishing near Highland

Beach.

Guy Maddox (82) drowned on November 20 after falling overboard while fishing in a small pond near

Center Hill.

Henry Ogden (49) died on November 25 when his boat hit a wake and he was ejected from the bow and

struck by the boat’s propeller near Bradenton.

Cesar Montano (27) drowned on December 7 in spite of his wife’s rescue attempts after he fell from his

sailboat in the St. Johns River.

Marciano Vover (63) drowned on December 21 while trying to swim to shore after his boat sank off

Marathon.

In 2007, 77 people lost their lives in Florida’s boating accidents, affecting untold hundreds of surviving

family members and friends. May their losses lead to saving many others from similar situations.