A tragic boating accident claimed the life of 24-year-old Kaileigh Seidel while she was tubing on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The incident occurred on June 22, around 8pm local time, when Kaileigh was “thrown” from an inflatable tube tied to a boat and collided with another vessel. Her friend, Millie Lovea, witnessed the horrifying event and recounted the ordeal to the Daily Mail. “My beautiful best friend and I had just gotten out on the water, having what seemed like a fun time, when everything changed in an instant,” Millie shared.
“Seeing my friend hurt and feeling helpless is something I can’t shake. Making the call to her family was even worse,” Millie added. She also expressed her deep feelings of guilt and sorrow, pondering over the tragic sequence of events and questioning if anything could have been done differently to prevent the accident. “Survivor’s guilt is real, and it’s something I’m gonna carry every single day,” she admitted.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office River Patrol responded to a 911 call reporting the accident, and swiftly initiated an investigation. “The woman was transported to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead after she arrived,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office stated. Authorities are interviewing witnesses and are yet to decide if criminal charges will be filed, according to a report by KPTV.
According to Millie, the driver of the boat was navigating recklessly, “whipping back and forth through the river” and took a sharp turn which may have caused the tube to flip and Kaileigh to collide with the other boat. Kaileigh’s aunt, Rachelle Hunsperger, blames the boat driver for her niece’s untimely death. “She did not ‘fall off’ of a boat. This boat driver needs to be held accountable,” Rachelle told KPTV, emphasizing that the incident was far from a mere accident.
Following the tragedy, a GoFundme page was set up by Terra Yoder, Kaileigh’s employer, to support the funeral expenses and celebrate Kaileigh’s life. “Her amazing energy and beautiful smile always made this world a better place,” the fundraiser description praises. The community has been rallying around the memory of Kaileigh, who is remembered as a bright light taken too soon.
As the investigation continues, many are left heartbroken and seeking answers to this devastating event that occurred on a seemingly joyful evening out on the river.