The Dingle Family; four of the children were adopted and each child was "uniquely supported" by their late father, Lee Dingle. Photo / GoFundMe
The Dingle Family; four of the children were adopted and each child was "uniquely supported" by their late father, Lee Dingle. Photo / GoFundMe
A mother has revealed that her husband was killed on a North Carolina beach when a wave crashed into him, slamming his head into the sand and breaking his neck.
Lee Dingle, 37, was playing with three of his children in the sea on Friday when tragedy struck, his wifeexplained on Twitter.
My partner, my love, and my home died today after a freak accident. Lee was playing on the beach with three of our kids yesterday, and an intense wave hit him just right to slam his head into the sand and break his neck. 1/
"Some heroes — including our kids — tried to save him, but it wouldn't have mattered what they did. His body couldn't recover from the initial injury."
She also paid tribute to her husband writing: "We met when I was 18 and he was 19, and we've been together ever since,"
"I wasn't supposed to be saying goodbye at 37. I don't know how to be a grown-up without him, but I'll learn. I just wish I didn't have to," she said, asking for prayers and saying she will "cuss and smash stuff".
Oak Island Fire Chief Chris Anselmo said rescuers took Dingle to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center, where he died.
According to a GoFundMe page, the break in his neck made his throat swell so much his brain was deprived of oxygen.
Lee Dingle and his wife Shannon. Photo / Facebook
The GoFundMe page, set up by friend Lisa Watterson, has raised more than US$186,000 ($275,000) in three days.
"Shannon and the kids are doing as well as can be expected. There are many local friends who have co-ordinated helping with the kids and helping Shannon with the many tasks that have now presented themselves."
Speaking to WRAP, family friend April Schweitzer said Dingle was an amazing dad to his six kids, including the four the couple adopted.
"How he saw each child for who they were uniquely and just supported them in that, encouraged them and was just always there for them," Schweitzer said.
"Anyone who knew him was a better person from their interactions with him."
Shannon Dingle is a writer whose work focuses on surviving sexual assault and parenting.
