logo
Tragedy as young mom, 27, dies in horrific accident leaving behind devastated husband and four children

Tragedy as young mom, 27, dies in horrific accident leaving behind devastated husband and four children

Daily Mail​19 hours ago

A 27-year-old mother was killed in a horrific boat crash that sent her flying overboard, leaving behind a heartbroken husband and four young children.
Brittney Sherman, of Wilmer, Alabama, was on a boat with her family in Bayou Sara near Saraland when tragedy struck.
The 20-foot Avid Center Console carrying the Shermans collided with a 26-foot Regulator Center Console on Sunday just before 6pm.
Brittney was hurled into the muddy water - where her body was recovered by a search team the following morning around 11am.
She was found about 100 yards from where she fell in the bayou, People reported.
Her husband, Cody, suffered serious injuries and one of their kids, Carson, is in critical condition, according to a GoFundMe made on Cody's behalf.
Boat operators Robert Lofton, 19, who was driving the Sherman family, and Jerry Hocutt Jr., 52, were unharmed by the deadly crash.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Patrol Division is investigating the cause of the accident and no charges have been filed.
Brittney's loved ones have been left to mourn the selfless mother, with Cody sharing a tear-jerking post about navigating single fatherhood while grieving his wife.
'My baby and our baby,' he wrote, referring to a photo of Brittney and one of their kids.
'Brittney I love you more than anything in this world. I promise to take care of these babies for you sweetheart! I know that you are up there watching over us.
'Please show me how to do this. I'm not sure how I'm gonna make it and I'm gonna do my best to make you proud. I love you until we meet again!!'
Cody also posted a picture of his son who was injured as well, writing: 'Everyone please pray for my baby boy will make a full recovery.
'This little boy is the toughest person I ever met. Daddy loves you and we will get through this this!!'
Brittney's best friend since childhood, Lindsey Cooper, shared online that Brittney and Cody were high school sweethearts.
She wrote: '15 years with Cody just wasn't long enough. A true love story. They adored each other so much.'
Other statements about Brittney commended her for her devotion to her kids, with one woman calling her 'one of the BEST moms' and 'most genuine' people she has ever known.
Another friend described her as 'the sweetest person,' adding 'this world lost a person that we should all strive to be every day.'
The GoFundMe has already raised more than $68,980 for 'medical bills, food, or just keeping things going,' according to the page.
'Cody Sherman and his family are going through something no one should ever have to face. After a tragic boating accident, their world has been shattered,' the fundraiser reads.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mum-of-two warns Brit tourists after Benidorm hotel room raided by teen thugs as her kids watched on in horror
Mum-of-two warns Brit tourists after Benidorm hotel room raided by teen thugs as her kids watched on in horror

The Sun

time18 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Mum-of-two warns Brit tourists after Benidorm hotel room raided by teen thugs as her kids watched on in horror

A MUM-of-two has issued a warning to tourists after her hotel room was raided by thugs. Brit Becca Farley, 27, warned tourists to "keep your wits about you" after suffering a horror ordeal while holidaying at a Spanish tourist hotspot. 4 4 Becca was staying at Magical Tropical Splash in Benidorm with her partner, six-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter when her room was raided by thugs. The mother caught the strangers entering her room on the last night of the family's £2,500 week-long holiday. With signs put up around the hotel warning of a power cut Becca headed to her room alone to charge the family's phones. She was left terrified when she discovered two thugs heading to her hotel room in a bid to rob her family. Speaking about the horror incident Becca said: "As I got in the lift these two teenagers got in the lift with me and just pressed my floor level. "I honestly didn't think anything of it because there's five rooms per floor so I just assumed they were going to one of them." The two robbers then exited the lift on Becca's floor and headed straight for her room. She said: "I thought 'oh sh*t I have obviously got off on the wrong floor, what a palaver I'm going to have to wait for the lift again.' But it was the right floor. "It happened all quite quickly and they just strolled straight into my room. "I then followed in after them, which in hindsight, I shouldn't have because you hear horror stories and I think it could have gone sour. Shocking moment creepy hotel worker sneaks into Brit mum's room and steals her knickers on Benidorm holiday "But I just didn't really think and went straight into the room and shouted 'what are you doing in my room?'" Becca says one of the intruders then started screaming at her in Spanish. She responded by yelling: "Get the f*ck out, get the f*ck out, get the f*ck out." until the two thugs ran off. The terrifying incident was not over though with the would be thieves returning minutes later and banging on the door. Becca said she stayed in her room with the door locked as the two teens continued to bang on it, she added: "I was absolutely petrified. "I know it sounds silly and people have said you should have done this, you should have locked them in the room, you should have decked them but at that moment I think it was just that invasion of privacy. "This is supposed to be your safe place when you are away, you're away from home, we don't travel all that often so we were really shaken. "Then that night I did not sleep because I was flinching at every noise. "If it had happened earlier on in the week we would have flown home." 4 Becca went on to report the incident to hotel security after discovering another family had experienced a similar break in losing passports, watches and other valuables to the thieves. After the harrowing ordeal Becca is warning other tourists who plan to visit Spain. She said: "I would advise just to be alert. "A lot of people have said we were scaremongering people not to go away, not at all. "We will certainly go on holiday again, it's not a case of us never going abroad again but I think it's just having that awareness that if you are a lone woman, please be careful. "I'm very lucky that I'm OK but I think it's just a case of having your wits about you a bit more. "When you go on holiday you tend to relax and become a little bit naive to these situations." She also recommended tourists travel with padlocks so they can secure their valuables inside suitcases. She added: "Obviously keep your valuables safe. "I know some people say don't use the safes, we personally lock all of ours and padlock them in our suitcases. "I think it's just a case of having your wits about you and knowing not to get comfortable in somewhere you've never been before." Although she plans to continue travelling, Becca said she'll now take extra precautions. "I'm considering getting a webcam that you can put in your room next time we go away. I will carry on locking my stuff away. I would never take the kids away on my own. "I certainly wouldn't have cleaners in my room ever again, not to say it definitely was them but they have access to your room. "I don't know if I would feel comfortable going up to a room on my own again." Everything you need to know about visiting Spain Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country. Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in an 180-day period. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit. Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border. Spain is one hour ahead of the UK. The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55. Flights to Spain from the UK take between 2-4 hours depending on the destination.

History repeats itself in horrifying way for well-liked man whose mom was killed by drunk driver
History repeats itself in horrifying way for well-liked man whose mom was killed by drunk driver

Daily Mail​

time41 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

History repeats itself in horrifying way for well-liked man whose mom was killed by drunk driver

A beloved father died in a fireball crash after being struck by a drunk mother, who also killed her children, nearly 70 years after his mother died in a near-identical tragedy. Michael Sales, 70, of Council Bluffs, Iowa was driving home from his FedEx job around 1:30am when he was rear-ended by Rachel Bickerstaff, 34, who was drunk driving in the neighboring Nebraskan city of Omaha on September 27, 2024. Bickerstaff hit Sales while doing 142mph, causing his vehicle to burst into flames, killing him, WOWT reported. Bickerstaff's three unidentified children - five, eighteen months, and eight months - were also killed in the crash. The mother-of-three, who had a BAC of .216 - nearly three times over the limit - miraculously survived the collision and was booked into jail on a $5million bond. The sudden death was particularly distressing for Sales' family as his own mother had died at the hands of a drunk driver in the late 1950s, when he was just two years-old. 'He grew up an only child on a farm outside of Crescent, Iowa,' she said. Laura recalled the moment she first heard the tragic news, telling the court on Wednesday: 'I can't imagine what it must have felt like to pick up the phone and call my sister and to tell us that our hero was gone. I dropped to the floor of my living room screaming. It felt like my soul had left my body. 'That moment shattered everything.' Now, Laura and her sister Gracelyn are mourning the loss of their beloved dad. 'My dad was my safe place, my best friend, the first person I called when I had news, good or bad; or just to tell him something he'd find funny,' Laura said in court. 'He affectionally called me "brat" and ended every phone call with "I love you, kid." 'He read to me every night when I was a little girl. He held my hand when I was scared and played with me until I fell asleep... He never missed a game, a recital, or a single moment that mattered.' Gracelyn echoed a similar statement on Facebook, writing: 'My Dad was the best dad I could have ever asked for. He loved my sister and me so much. We miss him terribly. Our lives have been turned upside down.' The sisters are also mourning the loss of having their father there to celebrate their big wins, such as Gracelyn graduating from physician's assistance school or meeting Laura's boyfriend. 'He'll never walk us girls down the aisle. He'll never hold his future grandchildren,' Laura told the judge. 'Your honor, my dad wasn't ready to die.' Brickerstaff apologized to the family on Wednesday at her sentencing, telling them: 'I can say over and over how sorry I am, but that would never change the situation. The hurt and pain I caused, I wish I could take it back. 'I would trade my life for all the life lost.' Brickerstaff was sentenced to up to 140 years in prison. She will be eligible for parole in 70 years under Nebraska law. The mother-of-three has a prior DUI from 2020 and was on probation at the time of the 2024 incident. She also copped an assault in jail for harming another inmate, WOWT said. Her attorney said she endured a hard childhood and began drinking and doing meth at the age of 12. The Sales family started a GoFundMe to help the family, garnering nearly $13,000 of its $20,000 goal. They remember Michael as being a 'faithful Husker fan,' a football team he loved watching with his children.

'Shattered' family of two sisters who drowned in Snowdonia mountain pool call for clarity over 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths
'Shattered' family of two sisters who drowned in Snowdonia mountain pool call for clarity over 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths

Daily Mail​

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

'Shattered' family of two sisters who drowned in Snowdonia mountain pool call for clarity over 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths

A family 'shattered' by the deaths of two sisters who drowned at a mountain pool have called for clarity over the 'conflicting' accounts of their deaths. Mother-of-two Hajra Zahid, 29, and younger sister Haleema Zahid, 25, were pulled from the water after a 'challenging' rescue attempt on a notorious path up Snowdon. The pair had travelled 70 miles to the mountain range to visit the waterfall pools with university friends before the tragedy struck, an inquest opening heard. The sisters had only moved to the UK four months ago to begin masters degrees in International Business at the University of Chester and had been living in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Their family have been left heartbroken amid claims they have received 'conflicting' accounts over how the women came to their deaths, reports from Pakistan said. The account given that one sister died trying to save the other does not add up with where the bodies of the two women were found - roughly 10 minutes apart - the family claimed. 'The family is shattered,' a relative told Geo News. 'The police says one sister drowned and the other drowned while trying to save her but the body of one sister was found floating on the surface and the other sister's body was found ten minutes away. 'The witnesses say both entered the water together. The police have not informed us of anything and are not helping the family.' The women's bodies have been repatriated back to Pakistan. Coroner Sarah Riley said the women had travelled to the pools at Snowdon's notorious Watkin Path with university friends. The hearing in Caernarfon was told pathologist Dr Zain Mehdi carried out post mortem examinations and has the provisional cause of death for both sisters as drowning. Ms Riley said: 'They have entered the water and sadly both died as a result of drowning.' She said Hajra was declared dead at 10.48pm and Haleema was declared dead at 10.49pm. 'Investigations continue into how they came by their deaths.' She added: 'I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends and all who knew and loved them.' The sisters were originally from Rawalpindi in Pakistan but moved to the UK as students at the University of Chester's business school where they were taking on masters degrees in international business. Dr Bilal Saeed previously worked with Haleema at a telecommunications company in Islamabad, and said she was 'an exceptionally compassionate, hardworking and kind individual'. He said that she had 'touched the lives of many with her warmth, professionalism and unwavering dedication' before leaving her home country to pursue a masters degree in the UK. Another friend described her as an 'amazing lady, very lively and energetic, someone you would want in your life'. University vice chancellor Prof Eunice Simmons said: 'The University of Chester community is in mourning for the tragic loss. 'They touched the lives of many here at Chester - their friends, the cohort on their course and the staff who taught them - and they will be deeply missed.' Chair of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, Jurgen Dissmann said: 'On behalf of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the two women who sadly lost their lives. 'This was a complex and difficult callout for the team.' Social media has been blamed for a surge of inexperienced walkers to Snowdonia after four out of five recent deaths in the recent fatalities were women. The pools where the Hajra and Haleema died had been rated one of the best places in Britain to inspire 'Insta envy' and awash with selfie-takers from miles away. Rescue teams have previously said a rise in call outs to the mountains known as 'Britain's most dangerous peaks' was down to 'trending social media posts' on Instagram and TikTok. And the latest tragedy means at least five young people have died in the Snowdonia mountain range this year. Social media influencer Maria Eftimova, 28, travelled from Greater Manchester to climb Tryfan but fell 65ft when she lost her grip on February 22. Dr Charlotte Crook, 30, of Birmingham slipped to her death on Glyder Fach on February 16. Medical student John Aravinth, 20 of Horsham, West Sussex, fell on Snowdon after getting lost on May 26. The Yr Wyddfa range has upwards of 750,000 visitors a year. It averages eight deaths annually - but five already this year. A BBC Countryfile guide said: 'While many choose to take the mountain railway most of the way, plenty choose to make the fairly substantial hike - many of whom may not be regular hikers and may not be armed with the right kit or sufficient food.' It was used by Sir Edmund Hillary and his team as a training ground for their successful Everest climb in 1953. Snowdon attracts more than 600,000 walkers, climbers and tourists each year with a series of walking trails and a train line leading to the 3,560ft summit. The eight-mile long Watkin Path, where the tragedy happened, is described as 'one of the steepest and more challenging routes up Snowdon'. It takes an estimated four to seven hours to complete - with a dip in the water a must-do for many walkers. However the route is said to pass along 'a series of crystal-blue waterfalls before it quickly ramps up in difficulty after passing Gladstone Rock. The pools have been described as 'quite possibly the most beautiful wild swimming spot in the whole National Park.' Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gibson of North Wales Police said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families and friends of both women.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store