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Subscribe to RSSThe Coast Guard called off its search Monday for a teenager who was swept to sea with his parents in northern California over the weekend while trying to rescue the family dog, saying it's not likely the 16-year-old boy could have survived the cold waters.
Officials recovered the bodies of the teen's mother and father Saturday afternoon at Big Lagoon, about 32 miles north of Eureka, Calif., in Humboldt County. Authorities say the family was trying to rescue their dog from powerful surf, after the canine was pulled into the ocean by powerful, 10-foot waves, The Associated Press reported.
The Humboldt County Coroner's office on Monday identified the parents as Mary Elena Scott, 57, and Howard Kuljian, 54, of Freshwater, Calif. The missing teen was identified as Gregory Kuljian.
Coast Guard Lt. Bernie Garrigan told the AP the search for the missing boy was stopped Monday, saying that a person without a wetsuit could not survive for long in the frigid surf.
On Saturday, the teen had gone after the dog, and the father followed him into the water to attempt a rescue, State Parks District Superintendent Dana Jones told the AP. The 16-year-old was able to get out of the waves, but then went back into the water with his mother to find his father, the AP reported.
"Both were dragged into the ocean," Jones told the AP, noting that the dog got out of the water on its own.
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The Coast Guard said the parents' daughter reportedly was the one who called 911, The Times-Standard in Eureka reported.
Earlier, the AP reported the Coast Guard tried using a helicopter and two motor life boats to try to find the missing teen, but thick coastal fog had suspended the aerial search.
Officials say the Big Lagoon beach has a steep shoreline where the waves roll in and crash onto the sand, which makes the area dangerous, the AP reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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It is sad, but dogs are more amphibious than humans and they should have considered that fact.
Many people consider their pets like children.They would sacrifice anything to protect them from harm, including risking their lives. The boy went after that dog because he loved it. The father went after his son, because he loved him. Both the mother and son went after their father, because they loved him.
Sees Thru Gloss- At which point, should love have stopped seeking after its own? How do you tell a child not to love his pet too much? You don't. Love doesn't measure life and say, I will only sacrifice so much for another, and no further. It doesn't weight the cost, but gives all.
The daughter has lost her family, and will have a beloved dog to remind her, that life is precious and when she feels so alone, she can hug that sweet creature and know at least one life was returned from the sea so she was not left all alone in her grief.
button it kooky.They AREN'T children
The canine may have done the same thing for a squirrel if it had developed a pet-like attachment.
The squirrel may have done the same thing for a spider if it had developed a pet-like attachment.
The spider may have done the same thing for a woodtick if it had developed a pet-like attachment.
The woodtick may have done the same thing for an ameba if it had developed a pet-like attachment.
If you think of your pet as a family member, that's all the more reason to have kept it from danger. Then the question of risking your own life to save the pet becomes a moot point, as it should have been in this tragically preventable event.
Windancersong - eloquently stated.
ABC has a slightly different story: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/couple-swept-sea-effort-save-son-dog-17807817
Boy went in after dog, dad went in after boy, boy and mom went in after dad... So very sad.
Windancer. you have written eloquently what some of us live and know in our hearts.
There are those who will never grasp the truth of what you have written. They lack that degree of connectedness, love, and devotion that makes understanding possible. They are more to be pitied than scorned.
mach', I certainly hope you know enough to keep your mouth closed and opinion to yourself if you encounter a parent who has lost a human child in a tragic accident. Your self-righteous 'keep it from danger' will only exacerbate their grief. You may want to give some thought to karma.
As a former volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan, I encountered many parents in the worst situation of their lives. I worry about a lot of things; my Karma isn't one of them.
The fact is they shouldn't have let that dog enter the water. Lake Michigan can be fierce, too; when we take our German Shepherd Dog puppy (our new family member) there on rough-water days, he's on a 20-foot leash. He can still play and I can know he won't disappear into the lake. This isn't about being self-righteous. It's just common sense.
Let me help you out with mach, jkatze.
I think what he is trying to say is that hindsight is 20/20. If one loses a loved one right before their eyes they relive the event over and over and come to all the conclusions you point out mach. The last thing that anyone needs to hear from someone else is the things they already know. To say them would be simply be rubbing salt in an open wound .....in short, obvious and insensitive at best.
If that is your aim then I for one would most certainly pitty you. I like to think I too keep my children and pets in the safest environment possible but life can hand anyone a bad card.....I'm betting Darwin doesn't have a chapter on that come to think of it.
I love animals but anybody who thinks their pets life is more important than their own is not thinking clearly. You may feel like they are your children but they are not. 1 dogs life was not worth 3 humans no matter how much they loved 'em. If you honestly think giving your life up for an animal is worth it for love I contend that you are a candidate for a Darwin Award. I'll admit I'm jade by death as I have had family members die since I was young starting with my father when I was 4. He drown and my mother tried to save him but realized that there was a point were she was going to die trying to save him and would have left me an orphan. As hard as it was to make that decision it was the right one because in the end there was no point in them both dying if he was past saving( they were camping at a mountain lake that you have to hike an hour to and they were alone). Death is an eventuality and some get more life than others. Some things you can't stop but others you can.
hmmm....one who is judge of the value of life and capable of weighing the importance of one creatures life over another eh?....sounds inhuman...almost god-like...
Troy you do that every day you eat. Something has to die for others to survive. A fact of life. Even a plant was a living thing. Everything living has to depend on the death of something else to survive. Of course it doesn't have liquid brown eyes and beg for food. If it bothers you can always starve to death.
Ah...
Monday morning QBs talking about split second decisions made amongst love ones in a period of utter chaos.
If only everyone were as bright and calculating as you guys.
Its common knowledge (at least it used to be) that ALL dogs know how to swim instinctively. Only the smaller, stout breads with short legs have any real issues. Darwin at its finest. Notice the dog didn't need any help.
It's a freaking dog.. i hope this serves as a lesson for other people that love their dogs to the point that they are willing to put their own lives in danger to save an animal. Im not trying to be rude but it's not worth it.
I might add, none of these family members entered the ocean thinking they would die. None of them could know what would happen next. Obviously, none of the family members would have entered the ocean had they known that their dog would swim out safely or that any of them would die trying to save the dog or each other.
This is a horrible tragedy, but one that happened out of love and selflessness. One family member trying to save another. I just feel terrible for the daughter. I think it would be hard to love the dog that was inadvertently the cause of the loss of her family.
lots of dog breeds can't swim, mostly small breeds.... so it is not common knowledge
a lot of people think it's cute to let your dog do dangerous stuff.... dogs are the equivalent of a 4 year old... if you wouldn't let your 4 year old do it, it isn't a good idea to let the dog do it.... except of course highly trained or service dogs...
as far as the love of a dog... some people feel they are expendable animals... some people feel they are children.... clearly this dog was a child to that family and it resulted in an extremely sad outcome....
but there's no way anyone has the right to tell someone else they are an idiot for treating their pet as a child.... I have done some very brave stuff to save mine....
Uh - you really have to ask? The answer would be.. at the point when you begin to value the life of a pet more than you value the life of your own children.
(??) Wow - I can't even begin to fathom this.
I've seen beaches like this one. The waves break directly onto the steep pitch. They would and will slam you directly onto the sandy surface and the undertow is terrific. There must have been cautionary signs around.
WinWin4All, cut it out, you have no idea what they were thinking so stop making definitive statements like you do.
@windancer. Or, the daughter could be upset that she lost her whole family because the doge went in the water. It depends on her state of mind and maturity.
I am saddened for the lives that this incident took away. I can understand the kid trying to save the life of his dog; I can sympathize with their loss, but I do not agree nor justify what he did. A human life is ALWAYS much more important than an animal's life. I take this story as a lesson to my children: NO pet's life is more valuable than yours, I told them today after reading them this story. Please do not get me wrong: I like animals and would not harm any that is not harming me, but humans have priority over animals; much more if it is my family. I say this not ro rub the wounds of the survivors, but to learn from the experiences of others.
I understand trying to save someone or something you love but the boy went in to try and save the dog. The father went in to save the boy. Then the boy is foolish enough to go back in (with his mother) having been rescued once already? I don't mean to sound callous but common sense needs to dictate your actions at some point. Call for trained rescue personnel. Perhaps no one would have died.
Sad!
Incredibly Sad!!
Forget all of the "They should have..." comments for now, because that is for a later time...now is the time for mourning!
SAD!
I know rationally that I should not go in after my dog, but I think I would. First off, I wouldn't think I would drown. Stuff happens. People make mistakes. Very sad story. Our dog is part of our family. I would have never thought it would be had you asked me that when I was single, but those darn things crawl into your heart and into those hearts that you cherish more than your own. I would not let my wife or kids go in after it. But, I am pretty sure I would. It is neither smart nor rational, but its the truth. I was just at a northern California beach this weekend and let the dog off the leash and he had a ball. We all tried to make sure he stayed safe and out of the surf, which he did, but things can happen. All those that are perfect I commend you. I am not. I am sure had this family had a chance to do it over again they would play it differently. Life just doesn't always work that way.
Things can happen, and then there are the things we can control. A very long leash on a dog when near dangerous surf is common sense. Unless your dog comes to you upon command without fail, you are doing a disservice to him when you leave it up to Fate to decide whether you'll all be going home safely. (Hint: even the most well-trained K9 police dog can be unpredictable.) Dangerous surf, heavy traffic, steep cliffs and inumerable other hazards are right there before your eyes.
Saying "things can happen" is a cop-out if you haven't bothered to think through the basics regarding the safety of all concerned, in even the most mundane endeavor. If you've thought through every preventable scenario, and then a meteor lands on you, nobody will think you should've seen that coming. But when 10-foot waves pull a loved one (of any species) out to sea, who can possibly be surprised?
As a parent, you have to be responsible. You are the one in charge of taking care of your kids, and I don't include the dog as one of them. Now this girl has to go on in life without her parents. And all the people on here can do is make it seem like dying for one's animals is heroic. What about the survivors and what they have to go thru? I'm sorry, I love my pets, and will defend my pets, but I will not risk my life to save them. I will not have my wife and kids struggle financially and emotionally because i died saving a pet.
A lesson for everyone who hears or reads of this tragedy: the power of water is stronger than you are.
Do not attempt to rescue anyone, man or beast, from the ocean unless you are properly equipped and trained to do so!
It would have been a tragedy to lose the dog, but a far greater tragedy resulted from foolishly trying to save the dog. Dogs only live about 15 years at most anyway. We are all going to lose our beloved pets.
A pet can be replaced, but a child? A brother, a mother, a dad?
It's sad that the family drowned ... What's even more tragic is the dog came out of this just fine, and his companions are forever gone. RIP
now i feel bad for the dog
This post is for the nasty humor I read in the orignal article;
From some those posts I read, clearly some of you wouldn't have even saved your own mother at the cost of your life.
It always surprises me, though it shouldn't, how little minded people are willing to say anything to get a laugh out of the tragedies people and animals experience out of love and respect for one another.
Sad little people....sad little lives...it must suck to be in your skins...or rather it must suck for your families to suffer you.
NyNy, well said btw.
Troy - I went into the Kern River after my Akita. The damn water had just melted from the snow about 10 minutes before. Well it was so cold I could not feel to tie the rope on her. So my friend came in after me.
We almost drown and only a fallen tree saved us. The dog was hauled out.
The Ranger told me the next day we were lucky. Most people last about 15 minutes in the water. We were in about 25.
The dog almost died but she was my best friend. However I have kids now and sorry - the dog has to go. Now if my kid was in the water......
IAMF,
I totally understand the logic. I have kids too. If I thought for a second I was able to save my dog or kid or any other person or pet that I love I would do so. The kid probably thought he could do just that...that he was more capable than he really was.
It is just sad to me how easily people can dismiss or crack a joke about a person who literally sacrificed their life to save another, be it their pet or sister or whoever. Some people are just from bad stock no doubt. There is nothing funny about this whole story. It's sad. And still the kid has not been found....
...that was my point.
No, the Akita was not your best friend. Best friends are not sacrificed to changes in life circumstances. Moreover you have deprived your kids of the joy and boundless lessons we learn when a dog walks at our side.
Hachiko had a soul more guided by love than you have.
Jkatze, what a silly statement. He has not deprived his kids anything. I love my dog with all my heart. But I am not going to leave my 2 year old and my 6 year old without a mother. If my children were drowning, I would gladly give my life for them. But I would never put an animal before my own children. They need a mom. They don't need a dog.
For people to say that we are heartless to not put a dog before our kids, than what would you do if you had to choose to save your dog or child from drowning? Which would you choose if you had to make that choice? If you say your kids, than I have proven my point. If you say your dog, than you don't need kids.
And my statements above are not about this story. A 16 year old kid did what he felt he needed to do. The dad went after him, as I would have with my own 16 year old. At 16, I probably would have done the same thing. Now that I have two young kids who love me and need me, I put them above all others. Period. Any parent would do the same. Saying that the dog was not worth the loss of this family is not heartless. They now have a daughter without a mom, dad or brother. I bet she wishes she had them instead of the dog.
Windancersong-1494878
You got it right! It is so sad this happened but so true . . . love is so powerful!
May they rest in peace !
P.S. The haters will always be here to hate . . . should have, could have, or I would have or dogs are not human etc. This is why animals shy away from these nuts . . . our animals can sense hate.
Yeah Tigerlover..I haev been raised arounds animals, raised a deer, a hawk, horses, cows, pigs, dogs, cats, etc and worked with vets..I hate animals (sarcasm)..and they totally shy away from me. Good call..LOL. I am not a nut because I would put my child before any animal. Sorry..my priorities are different than yours..doesn't make me wrong.
The moment you disrespect the ocean or turn your back on it's power is the moment it bites bites hard. How tragic, especially for the girl that lost her brother and mom and dad!
You're right William , another words : Never underestimate the force of mother nature !
This just plain sucks. People have no idea how powerful the ocean really is. And the cold water takes you down fast.
Even in Southern Cally were I grew up my parents made me take swimming lessons in the ocean for years and I came to respect that water. It almost took me twice when I was in my 20's and strong as an Ox.
To the family that remains this is simply plain awful.
People got to realize that its only a dog that can be replaced. Its not a human life. Now they are dead and the dog lives on.
This is very sad the entire family lost their lives trying to save the family dog. I also remember not too long ago a woman in New York swerved and lost control over her car while attempting to avoid hitting a stray dog. All of her children were killed. I think she may have survived, but what an awful memory to have.
The daughter/sister did not die.
What was the daughter doing when all this was going down I wonder?
Jeanette, she was calling 911
I would have jumped in after my dog without hesitation. Dogs are family.
Me too....in a single heartbeat...like I would for any other in my family.
It may not be rational to an outsider. It would not be so irrational to someone who is witnessing the demise of a loved one.
RM,
Are you trying out for the Darwin awards?
Darwin didn't pass on his genes and died old and lonely.....natural selection at its finest!
Darwin had ten kids and a loving wife. He died a good death surrounded by his family. This story is tragic.
oldlib, Why yes he did! Who knew somebody so miserable looking could have had a fruitful life....lol.
I take comment 9.1 back. Thanks.
Troy - how about checking facts before you post lies?
I did..just alittle late....thanks for pointing out what I already pointed out about my own post dude...lol.
here is a true account of the meaning of "man's best friend"!
Too bad.Waste of three lives.
This is the second story like this in months. Does anyone remember the Massachusetts couple who died trying to save their dog? They both drowned, but the dog survived.
Link: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/21/13396442-massachusetts-couple-drowns-trying-to-rescue-dog-from-lake?lite
I guess the moral of this story, if anything, is that dogs fare better in water than their human counterparts. So it's probably best to not risk your life saving the dog when it has a good shot at making it back to shore or being rescued by boat later on.
You also have to consider the dog breed (labs, among others, are powerful swimmers, other dogs not so much) and also your own swimming prowess.
But hey, as I said before, I would have still jumped in after my dog. She's a lab, and I'm not the best swimmer. BUT, no way could I just stand there and "hope" that she somehow makes it on her own. Also, I can just picture her looking back at me as she's being swept away and thinking, "HEY MAN, AREN'T YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING? I'M GETTIN' SWEPT OUT TO SEA HERE."
Maybe she'd be thinking, "STAY OUT! I CAN HANDLE THIS, YOU SILLY HUMAN!"
Although this event is sad, it's not too bad. Dumb people have been taken out of the gene pool. This is Darwinism at it's core. Better for humanity. You think I'd let my child jump in freezing cold water to save the dog? Hell no. I'd have let the dog drown. It's a dog for christ's sake.
Hopefully, a person as coldhearted as you does not have children or pets.
hank-1773286, I'd save a dog over you any day of the week.
Hank,
So when a truck comes barrelling out of nowhere one cold icy night, slams into you and splats you in your car up against a cliff wall or sends you over a guardrail tumbling into the night we can just say, "that Hank, I think he is still screaming down there but to hell with that! I'm not risking my life saving him. Let him die. Darwin would have wanted it that way."
Smart people have been taken from the gene pool too...not just dumb people...come to think of it, obviously at least one dumb person still resides in the human genepool buddy.
Wow
are you kidding me? you guys are jumping all over this guy for saying he would not risk his kids for his dog? look at the facts of what this story is and what he is saying. all he said is that he would not allow his children to enter almost certain death to save an animal that put itself into this situation. you had 15 minutes top going in until death. facts. dont let that get in the way of you extreme ignorant thoughts. and anyone or all of you who love to put animals lives above humans are as sick in the head as any freak out there.
In almost all of these cases, the dog will make it back to safety.
Probably so, but if you see your pet in trouble, you're not thinking 'what the heck, it will make it back to safety'.
Sheple it's an animal,not Family...
Dog nuts,when will they learn
We learn the important lessons in life daily from our dogs.
We would never blight our lives learning the lessons you would propose.
"We learn the important lessons in life daily from our dogs".....SERIOUSLY???? Daily? Ok.
Hypothermia is the killer in this case. I seen it happen time and time again when I was in the Coast Guard stationed in Kodiak Alaska. One person falls over and two more jump in to help them and the end result is 3 people dead and never found. Water is dangerous but the cold is unforgiving and no matter how good of a swimmer you are you will die in a short amount of time.
RIP - I hope the daughter makes it though losing her entire family. I hope she has a large support group.
THREE LIVES over a dog, I have pets but I have a family, children & grandchildren we could get another pet I can't get another husband or child or grandchild....
We have lost pets in our lives thru death young and old.
Life is life, human or dog, one is not more important than another. Talk about anthropomorphism. So sad, what an awful tragedy.
Are you freakin' serious?
Even six-syllable words can't make some opinions sound smart.
One thing I've learned reading these "Dog Water Rescue" stories... you're more likely to die trying to save the dog from the water... and the dog will tend to save it's self in the end.
How utterly sad....one doesn't mess with the ocean, at least I wouldn't..poor surviving daughter, sigh.
Data: over the 40 years of my life, I never had any my dozen or so cats try to jump in the ocean or a river.
Conclusion: Cats>Dogs
Agreed, they lack ambition. Sometimes adventures are determental but they sure do make life more exciting. Meow. My 22 lbs. Maincoone just agreed.
No matter how much they love you, a cat will not play frisbee with you. (After a while, they get annoyed with you for trying.)
Cats v. dogs = apples v. oranges.
I cannot imagine life without cats and dogs.
Truly sad. Not an accident, just poor judgment.
Wow....what a terrible sad story....God bless their souls, I hate to hear about loved ones trying unsuccessfully to save each other, it is one of the most horrifying endings you can imagine....
This story only proves that Dogs are Evil and are really aliens from another world come to destroy us all and take over our junk food stores.
I thought their goal was to poop over everyone's lawns, thereby causing all intelligent people to go insane. The dogs will have a much easier time taking over, when the only humans left are the ones so stupid they actually don't mind the smell on their shoes. It's a win-win for the dogs when you think about it.
We don't need people who are stupid enough to get themselves killed over a dog. What is wrong with you people out there?
I would trade any one of them for you ass hat.
Your lack of humanity makes you a waste of skin.
The real waste is the oxygen those idiots wasted before they got themselves killed over a dog.
Dave - since you have never given or received love, we don't expect you to understand.
Now get back under your bridge you ugly little troll.
I can see that it is true that you just can't fix stupid.
That's right Dave - you just proved it. Although calling you stupid is an insult to all the people in their world who are stupid.
BAD DOG!
Dave, I'm with you, too many people who are voluntarily stupid. Humanity has nothing to do with plain lack of common sense. It does look like 3 of them are solid contestents for the Darwin awards.