Family: 2 victims killed in Branson duck boat accident from Mid-South
MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - At least two of the 17 victims killed after a duck boat capsized and sank in Branson, Missouri, were from the Mid-South.
Steve Smith, 53, and his son, Lance Smith, 15, were both killed in the accident, according to family.
Family said Steve's daughter, Loren Smith, 14, was on the boat with her father and brother, but she managed to survive. She suffered a concussion and is currently in the hospital.
The mother, Pamela, was in Branson at the time of the accident, but she opted not to get on the boat.
The Smith family is from Osceola, Arkansas. They were known for two things, their commitment to education and their commitment to their faith.
The Smiths took their family vacation to Branson countless times before.
Steve was a retired teacher at North Elementary School and a deacon at Osceola Church of Christ. Lance had just given his first devotional the Sunday before making the trip to Branson.
Lance just completed Osceola STEM Academy and was on the robotics team. He was about to enter the ninth grade at Osceola High School.
The pastor of the church next door said this is a tragic loss for the community.
"I rest assured this community is praying for this family," Archie Thomas, pastor at Living Word Cathedral, said.
There is a bright spot to the story. Loren is being called a hero. Her grandmother said in the midst of all the chaos, she pulled a young girl to safety while they were both in the water.
Meanwhile, the 15 other victims of the sinking have been identified:
- William Asher, 60, Missouri
- Rosemarie Hamann, 68, Missouri
- Janice Bright, 63, Missouri
- William Bright, 65, Missouri
- Angela Coleman, 45, Indiana
- Arya Coleman, 1, Indiana
- Belinda Coleman, 69, Indiana
- Ervin Coleman, 76, Indiana
- Evan Coleman, 7, Indiana
- Glenn Coleman, 40, Indiana
- Horace Coleman, 70, Indiana
- Maxwell Coleman, 2, Indiana
- Reece Coleman, 9, Indiana
- Leslie Dennison, 64, Illinois
- Bob Williams, 73, Missouri
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