Latest news with #WALB
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Engaged couple killed in crashes hours apart, leaving son, Louisiana family says
A couple engaged to be married died in separate crashes hours apart on the same Louisiana road, leaving their young son behind, according to family and law enforcement. Alexus Lee, a 25-year-old teacher, was driving on Louisiana Highway 67 at around 2 a.m. May 16 when she veered off the road for unknown reasons and hit a culvert, causing the SUV to flip, Louisiana State Police said in a news release. She wasn't wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Then shortly before 3:45 a.m., John 'J.R.' Collins, Lee's 35-year-old fiancé, was driving south on the same highway in the direction of Lee's accident when he took a curve at a high rate of speed, ran off the road and hit a tree, troopers said. He wasn't wearing a seat belt either and was thrown from the Chevrolet Camaro, dying at the scene of the crash about 10 miles north from the site of Lee's accident, according to state police. Loved ones have now pledged to take care of the couple's 4-year-old son. 'I love them and I'm gonna miss both of them and I'm gonna find the strength to go ahead,' Collins' father, Arthur Collins, told WALB. Alexus Lee's sister, Dominique Lee, referred to the 25-year-old woman as 'my ride or die, my diary, my emergency contact, my best friend,' in a tribute on social media. 'I know they left here knowing their child is in good hands for sure,' she told WALB. A photographer who knew the couple called them 'exceptional.' 'I wish I could have presented your memories as I collected more on your wedding day,' McDaniel Dotson wrote on Facebook. 'You were never too shy to hit the dance floor. You will truly be missed, rest easy, my beautiful friend.' Family held a joint celebration of life for the couple at East Feliciana STEAM Academy, where Lee was a teacher. The accidents are still under investigation. The pair crashed in East Baton Rouge Parish and East Feliciana Parish, about a 30-mile drive northeast from Baton Rouge.
USA Today
17-05-2025
- USA Today
Body found in Lake Lanier, days after kayaker goes missing, sheriff's office says
Body found in Lake Lanier, days after kayaker goes missing, sheriff's office says Between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 fatalities have occurred at Lake Lanier, which is located in northern Georgia. Show Caption Hide Caption How to report a missing person Here's how to take action when a person goes missing. Authorities in Georgia have recovered a body from Lake Lanier, and while they have identified the individual, the discovery comes days after a kayaker went missing at the lake. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced the recovery of the body on the afternoon of May 16, and the update came hours after the kayak and paddle, believed to belong to Dustin Valencia, 43, were reportedly found. According to the sheriff's office, Valencia, a father of five children, went missing on May 14 when he took his family's Intex inflatable kayak on the largest lake in Georgia, which contains over 38,000 acres of water and over 690 miles of shoreline. In the May 16 afternoon update on the search, the sheriff's office said that although the body was recovered from the lake, no positive identification has been made. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office did not immediately return a request from USA TODAY for an update on May 17. Valencia was believed not to have a life vest, but he did have one plastic oar, the sheriff's office said. When Valancia's kayak was found, the seats were "not inflated or installed," WALB reported, citing the sheriff's office. What happened before Dustin Valencia disappeared? Valencia's wife, Jennifer Valencia, reported her husband missing on May 14, telling deputies that their children were the last to see him after he left earlier in the day to have their vehicle serviced, according to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY. Valencia returned home that day around 1 p.m. before leaving in their black 2006 Honda Accord, his wife told deputies, per the incident report. When Valencia did not pick up the couple's children from school at 3 p.m., his wife tried to call his phone, but received no response. Using the "Find My iPhone" app, Jennifer Valencia tracked her husband's last known location, however, he wasn't at that location when she arrived to look for him. At this point, she contacted law enforcement to file a missing persons report, the incident report reads. Valencia's wife confirmed that he does not suffer from any known medical conditions or mental health issues, and that there were no known threats of self-harm. She stated that her husband usually communicates with her regularly and always keeps her informed, the incident report continued. While canvassing the area Valencia was last known to be, deputies found the family's black Honda Accord parked at Little Ridge Park on Lanier Beach South Road. Assuming Valencia may have gone kayaking, deputies searched the nearby water and walked surrounding trails, but they could not locate him, the incident report says. Photos: Tornadoes, severe weather kills at least 23: See photos of damage in Missouri, other states Deaths at Lake Lanier since 1994 reach over 200 While the body has not been identified, it signals another death at Lake Lanier, where between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 fatalities have occurred, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division. Lake Lanier drownings, deaths (2018-2024) 2018: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2019: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2020: 7 drownings, 10 total deaths 2021: 4 drownings, 9 total deaths 2022: 6 drownings, 7 total deaths 2023: 13 drownings, 13 total deaths 2024: 3 drownings, 4 total deaths Total: 49 drownings, 65 total deaths Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
USA Today
16-05-2025
- USA Today
Father of 5 now missing after kayaking on the infamous Lake Lanier
Father of 5 now missing after kayaking on the infamous Lake Lanier The kayaker's wife reported him missing after he did not pick their children up after school, and failed to answer his phone. Show Caption Hide Caption How to report a missing person Here's how to take action when a person goes missing. The kayak and paddle of a man who went missing while at Lake Lanier in Georgia have been recovered, but he is nowhere to be found, local authorities said. The search for Dustin Valencia, 43, is ongoing after he went missing on May 14 when he took his family's Intex inflatable kayak on the largest lake in Georgia, which contains more than 38,000 acres of water and over 690 miles of shoreline, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said. On May 16, the sheriff's office said Valencia's yellow and gray kayak, along with a paddle, were found by a citizen on May 14. The citizen reported the discovery to the agency on the night of May 15. Despite the kayak and paddle being retrieved, the sheriff's office said Valencia has not been found. The seats in Valencia's kayak were also "not inflated or installed," WALB reported, citing the sheriff's office. On the day of his disappearance, he did not have a life vest and was believed to have one plastic oar, according to the sheriff's office. It is unclear if the life vest or the plastic oar has been recovered. Dustin Valencia's children were the last people to see him alive According to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY, Valencia's wife, Jennifer Valencia, reported him missing on May 14 and told deputies that their children were the last to see her husband after he left earlier in the day to have their vehicle serviced. Jennifer Valencia then told deputies that her husband returned home around 1 p.m. that day before leaving in their black 2006 Honda Accord. When Valencia failed to pick up the couple's children from school at 3 p.m., his wife attempted to contact him by phone but received no response, the incident report says. Using the "Find My iPhone" app, Jennifer Valencia tracked her husband's last known location, however, he was not at that location when she arrived to search for him. At that point, she contacted law enforcement to file a missing persons report, the incident report reads. Jennifer Valencia confirmed that her husband does not suffer from any known medical conditions or mental health issues, and that there were no known threats of self-harm. She stated that her husband typically communicates with her regularly and always keeps her informed, according to the incident report. While canvassing the area where Valencia was last known to be, deputies located the family's black Honda Accord parked at Little Ridge Park on Lanier Beach South Road. Assuming Valencia may have gone kayaking, deputies searched the nearby water and walked surrounding trails, but they could not locate him, the incident report says. More news: Fire decimates Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana: What we know so far More than 200 people have died at Lake Lanier since 1994 While the search for Valencia continues, the dangerousness of Lake Lanier comes to mind, as between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 people have died at the reservoir, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division. In 2024, there were three drownings, 30 total boating incidents, 21 total injuries, and one boating fatality at Lake Lanier, the Georgia DNR's data shows. Suicides or medical events, including cardiac arrest and strokes, are not counted in any of the reported data. Lake Lanier drownings, deaths (2018-2024) 2018: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2019: 8 drownings, 11 total deaths 2020: 7 drownings, 10 total deaths 2021: 4 drownings, 9 total deaths 2022: 6 drownings, 7 total deaths 2023: 13 drownings, 13 total deaths 2024: 3 drownings, 4 total deaths Total: 49 drownings, 65 total deaths Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
Indianapolis Star
16-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Father of 5 now missing after kayaking on the infamous Lake Lanier
The kayak and paddle of a man who went missing while at Lake Lanier in Georgia have been recovered, but he is nowhere to be found, local authorities said. The search for Dustin Valencia, 43, is ongoing after he went missing on May 14 when he took his family's Intex inflatable kayak on the largest lake in Georgia, which contains more than 38,000 acres of water and over 690 miles of shoreline, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said. On May 16, the sheriff's office said Valencia's yellow and gray kayak, along with a paddle, were found by a citizen on May 14. The citizen reported the discovery to the agency on the night of May 15. Despite the kayak and paddle being retrieved, the sheriff's office said Valencia has not been found. The seats in Valencia's kayak were also "not inflated or installed," WALB reported, citing the sheriff's office. On the day of his disappearance, he did not have a life vest and was believed to have one plastic oar, according to the sheriff's office. It is unclear if the life vest or the plastic oar has been recovered. According to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY, Valencia's wife, Jennifer Valencia, reported him missing on May 14 and told deputies that their children were the last to see her husband after he left earlier in the day to have their vehicle serviced. Jennifer Valencia then told deputies that her husband returned home around 1 p.m. that day before leaving in their black 2006 Honda Accord. When Valencia failed to pick up the couple's children from school at 3 p.m., his wife attempted to contact him by phone but received no response, the incident report says. Using the "Find My iPhone" app, Jennifer Valencia tracked her husband's last known location, however, he was not at that location when she arrived to search for him. At that point, she contacted law enforcement to file a missing persons report, the incident report reads. Jennifer Valencia confirmed that her husband does not suffer from any known medical conditions or mental health issues, and that there were no known threats of self-harm. She stated that her husband typically communicates with her regularly and always keeps her informed, according to the incident report. While canvassing the area where Valencia was last known to be, deputies located the family's black Honda Accord parked at Little Ridge Park on Lanier Beach South Road. Assuming Valencia may have gone kayaking, deputies searched the nearby water and walked surrounding trails, but they could not locate him, the incident report says. More news: Fire decimates Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana: What we know so far While the search for Valencia continues, the dangerousness of Lake Lanier comes to mind, as between 1994 and 2024, more than 200 people have died at the reservoir, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement Division. In 2024, there were three drownings, 30 total boating incidents, 21 total injuries, and one boating fatality at Lake Lanier, the Georgia DNR's data shows. Suicides or medical events, including cardiac arrest and strokes, are not counted in any of the reported data. Lake Lanier drownings, deaths (2018-2024)
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mother Gets Dying Wish After Son Gets Married at Her Hospital Bedside: 'A Moment Full of Love'
A mother in Georgia was able to see her son get married just before she died The hospital set up a chapel in her room so that she could witness the ceremony Samuel B. Wilson and Nakiuma Wade, who is an ICU nurse at the hospital, then had their official ceremony two weeks after his mom's funeralA mother in Georgia got her dying wish after seeing her son and daughter-in-law get married by her hospital bed. In a Facebook update, South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC) Health confirmed Samuel B. Wilson and Nakiuma Wade were able to tie the knot after they managed to turn his mother's room in the Valdosta facility into a space fit for a ceremony. "In less than 12 hours, a hospital room became a chapel," SGMC Health wrote alongside multiple photos from the special occasion. "SGMC Health was honored to help create an experience that will be remembered forever." SGMC Health added, "At the bedside of his mother, Samuel B. Wilson married Nakiuma Wade, RN, so that his mother could witness her son's wedding before saying goodbye." "It was a moment full of love that we will always cherish. Thank you to the Wilson and Wade families for letting us be a part of something so meaningful," the medical center concluded. While speaking to NBC and ABC-affiliated local station WALB about saying their "I dos" with his late mother in attendance, Wilson said, 'Well, it meant a lot to me because my Momma always gets what she wants, and this was no exception." Wade, who is an ICU nurse at SGMC Health, told the outlet, 'She would always tell me, 'I want to dance with my baby.' She wouldn't go to any other wedding. She wouldn't go. She would say, 'I got one wedding to go to,' and that's the one she made it to.' The couple then held an official wedding ceremony on Saturday, May 3, two weeks after the funeral of Wilson's mom, Martha Jenkins Wilson, the outlet stated. The station noted that Martha had been diagnosed with cancer before her son's ICU wedding, which took place on April 11. She died a day later. Wilson told WALB, 'I think the saddest part about it is Saturday. Momma wasn't there, but I could feel her presence.' 'All of us at the bedside when she went was everything because it's a lot of times people lose family members, and nobody is at the bedside. But we were able to be there with her, so I knew Saturday she would be so proud that she could dance with her baby,' Wade shared, per the station. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She added of her late mother-in-law, 'She told every listening ear, and they were able to tell everybody. And that's what she would have wanted." SGMC Health didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment. Read the original article on People
