HIDDEN PERIL
Mom ‘completely shattered’ after her two kids are swept out to sea by sudden ‘sneaker wave’ while hiking with dad
TWO young kids drowned when a sneaker wave swept them out to sea during a coastal hike in Oregon.
Lola Stiles, 7, and her four-year-old brother William were swallowed up by the freak surge along with their dad Jeremy, who survived but is still in hospital.
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Now devastated mom Jamie Stiles has revealed how the tragedy - which happened in Cannon Beach - has "shattered" her life.
She wrote: “Words cannot express how grateful I am for the outpouring of love and support to my family.
"I am not ok right now but am in treatment and will reach my new normal someday soon.
"I have read every single comment and message sent our way and feel like each one adds a tiny drop of glue to my completely shattered heart.
“I know Lola and William are surrounding us with their beautiful energy as we navigate a path to peace and healing,” she continued.
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“My babies loved adventure and I know they are off now on the grandest adventure of them all, together. Thank you all again for providing light to my dark days.”
The trio were walking on an “off-beach trail” when an abnormally large wave swept them out to sea, according to set up on behalf of the family.
It has already raised more than $115,000 for funeral expenses and grief and trauma support.
Emergency crews were called to the scene after receiving reports of three people in the water near the Falcon Cove area.
The first cop on the scene was able to wade into the water and pull Lola out but she was pronounced dead at nearby Providence Seaside Hospital.
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Jeremy was also pulled from the waters and is now recovering from the effects of hypothermia.
William's body has not yet been recovered despite round-the-clock searches,
Teachers have now paid tribute to the tragic youngsters.
“Words will never be enough to capture the sadness of the loss of both Lola and William,” wrote Hannah Senesh from Vestal Elementary School.
“I am, though, able to use words to say a huge and heartfelt thank you for the coming together of our community to support one another and support our children.”
“We will continue to grieve and hold space for one another,” she continued.
What is a sneaker wave?
A sneaker wave is a wave that is extremely large and usually appears unexpectedly.
It can also be called as a king wave or a sleeper wave
These waves are coastal waves that are unexpectedly larger than previous waves.
They get their name as they appear with no warning after periods of much smaller waves.
The waves often sweep unsuspecting swimmers out of the sea.
They also swallow up people standing or walking on the beach into the sea.
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“Our next steps as a community will be considering how we can memorialize Lola and William in a way that honors their sweet lives, their family, and their place in our community.”
Vestal Elementary, which is part of the Portland Public Schools system, also posted about a Jan. 16 vigil for William and Lola on their Facebook page.
“We are heartbroken and grieving for sweet Lola and little William…” the school wrote.