A North Carolina father of six died after being struck by a wave off Oak Island that broke his neck, according to news reports on July 20.
“Some heroes - including our kids - tried to save him, but it wouldn’t have mattered what they did. His body couldn’t recover from the initial injury,” Dingle also wrote. “We met when I was 18 and he was 19, and we’ve been together ever since. I wasn’t supposed to be saying goodbye at 37. I don’t know how to be a grown up without him, but I’ll learn. I just wish I didn’t have to.”
“Lee loved and lived generously. The magnitude of this loss cannot be understated. Please help care for his family in his absence,” the page added. “Every prayer, every kind word, and every penny are appreciated.”
April Schweitzer, a friend of the Dingles, told WRAL that he was the president of Atlas Engineering in Raleigh.
“I think anyone who knew Lee was just a better person for having known him and for having that example of kindness and love and generosity in our lives,” she said.
Other details about the incident are not clear.
- Relax. Rip currents don’t pull you under. A rip current is a natural treadmill that travels an average speed of 1-2 feet per second, but has been measured as fast as 8 feet per second—faster than an Olympic swimmer. Trying to swim against a rip current will only use up your energy; energy you need to survive and escape the rip current.
- Do NOT try to swim directly into to shore. Swim along the shoreline until you escape the current’s pull. When free from the pull of the current, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.
- If you feel you can’t reach shore, relax, face the shore, and call or wave for help. Remember: If in doubt, don’t go out!
- If at all possible, only swim at beaches with lifeguards.
- If you choose to swim on beaches without a lifeguard, never swim alone
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