What was supposed to be a joyous birthday celebration turned into a devastating tragedy after eight people lost their lives when a boat capsized during a sudden storm on Lake Tahoe. Four of the victims were members of a same family.
Among the victims were Joshua Antony Pickles, a 37-year-old DoorDash executive, his mother Paula, whose 71st birthday they were celebrating, his father Terry, his uncle Peter Bayes. The rest of the victims were friends from California and New York, Timothy O’Leary, 66, of Auburn; Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York; and Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, of Honeoye, New York.
Two people managed to survive the ordeal.
Witnesses claim the storm was fierce and fast. The waves reached up to ten feet and winds as strong as 30 knots.
As emergency calls started pouring in, a rescue operation involving the U.S. Coast Guard was launched immediately.
Joshua’s wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, who stayed on shore with their infant daughter, expressed heartbreak over the loss.
“No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake,” she said in a shared family statement. “Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe.”
Joshua and Jordan bought the boat less than a year ago and only used it once before the tragic incident.
DoorDash chief financial officer, Ravi Inukonda, said in a statement, “Josh loved his team and was an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“During his nearly seven years at DoorDash, he brought a contagious spirit that lifted those around him.”
According to Matthew Chyba, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, the thunderstorm far exceeded earlier forecasts as they only predicted a rainy afternoon, not expecting it to turn into such a violent storm. He added that the unusually low temperatures for this period of the year might have contributed to the unstable air mass.
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