JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the waves crashed against the Lions Club Boat Ramp, a small group stood in silence.
With their heads down and eyes closed, they prayed.
The group gathered as the sun began to set on the St. Johns River Monday. Their thoughts were with the families and friends impacted by a tragic incident on the water.
On Friday, a boat capsized with eight people on board. Four of the passengers survived, and three have been found dead. The search for the final boater, a child, continues.
“I am a parent and this is the hardest road that I think any parent can face,” Lizzie Mohr said.
Mohr joined the group for their prayer circle. She said she knew one of the victims, Cristian Marin.
“He was a beam of light,” she said. “He always had something to say about his family, his kids.”
She said he was a part of the real estate community. According to a GoFundMe that said it is raising funds for his family, Marin passed away during the accident along with his mom and two kids.
That fundraiser has already raised over $35,000.
Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage shared a message on Facebook. It said, in part, “With heavy hearts, we share the devastating news of the passing of our beloved agent, Cristian Marin, his mother, and his two children in a tragic accident.”
A Jacksonville preschool, Kids Expanding the Kingdom, is also sharing their condolences, saying, “Our thoughts are with this mother and our staff during this devastating time,” in a post on social media.
With one person still out in the water somewhere, members of the community want to make sure everyone is found.
“Very important because she has to come home,” Mohr said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it is working alongside several agencies to search for the last missing boater, using all resources “including SONAR and Aviation Unit helicopters—to search for the last missing boater, a child."
