Survivor aboard fatal good vidya boat accident shares her story

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BRANSON, Missouri - An emotional vigil was held overnight for the 17 people killed when a tourist duck boat capsized during a severe thunderstorm in Missouri. Flowers were thrown into the water where the victims-- many of the children, just one year old-- lost their lives.

A survivor, who lost nine members of her family, shared what happened when she was tossed into the water.

"I said Lord, just let me die, let me die. I can't keep drowning, I just can't keep drowning. And then I just let go," said Tia Coleman.

Tia Coleman survived the duck boat tragedy in Branson, Missouri - but nine members of her family, including her sister in law, died, according to ABC News.

"She was there with her 13-year-old, soon to be 3-year-old," said Coleman. "I was there, with my husband and our three children, who were 9, 7, and 1. My in-laws were there, my mother in law and my father in law and then uncle that lives with them."

Her 13-year-old nephew was her only relative to survive.

"I could not hear anybody, I could not hear anything." I could not hear it, it felt like I was out there on my own, "said Coleman.

She described the horrifying moments when the boat reached the lake.

Tia Coleman said "everybody start getting like" Hey, this is a little bit too much, and it got really choppy and big swells of water getting into the boat.

The boat was enveloped by water.

"The last thing I heard my sister in law yell was" grab the baby! "Coleman said.

Coleman added, "I said Jesus just keep me, just keep me so I can get to my children, keep me lord and I can swim and I was swimming as fast as I could reach the life jackets. to the boat and I was holding on but my legs and arms were so heavy from trying, they were so heavy! "

Coleman said there were lifejackets on board.

"They showed us where they were, but they told us, '' Do not worry about it, you will not need it, '' she said. "When you are in the boat, you are not supposed to be in a position to be distressed, which is definitely, life-changing, life-altering event."
 
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