Heartbreaking Tragedy: NJ Parents Lose Both Children in Devastating Boating Accident
A New Jersey couple lost their only two children in a horrific boating accident during an outing the youngsters were on with their grandparents at the Jersey Shore, according to reports.
Sigmund and Jennifer Golabek lost their daughter Mya, 9, and son Sigmund, 7, after the family’s boat crashed into a channel marker in Barnegat Bay off Berkeley Township on Sunday night, sending the children flying into the water, the Daily Mail reported.
The children’s grandfather, Steven Schneider, 63, who officials said was driving the 30-foot boat, and grandmother, Laurie Schneider, 64, found the children, but they were unresponsive and later pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts.
The siblings were remembered by their family as “sweet” and “active” children who loved each other and their family.
“A sibling bond is a love that lasts forever. Mya and Siggy were not only brother and sister, but best friends who shared laughter, adventures, and countless memories,” each of the children’s obituaries reads.
“Now they continue their journey together, hand in hand, carrying their love beyond this world and leaving behind a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bond they shared.”
Mya was remembered as “a sweet, fun-loving girl” who “shined in everything she did” in her tear-jerking obituary.
“Mya’s beautiful smile, kind heart, and joyful personality made her someone truly special,” the obituary continued. “She had a way of bringing happiness wherever she went and making those around her feel loved.”
The obituary also noted her love of “swimming, spending time at the beach, and crabbing on summer days and nights.”
Sigmund, or “Siggy” as he was affectionately known, was a “shy, but adventurous little boy with a big imagination and a personality all his own,” according to his obituary. “He loved the excitement of basketball, baseball, the fun of swimming, and the adventures that came from the things he loved most.”
“Although Siggy’s time here was much too short, the love he gave and the memories he created will remain forever.”
The channel marker was fully functioning and its lights were working when the boat struck into it around 9 p.m., Berkeley Councilman James Byrnes told News 12 New Jersey.
“The firemen jumped right in” to try to save them, Byrnes told the outlet. “The one child had a life jacket next to him.”
The tragedy remains under investigation and no charges have been filed as of Thursday.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and Ocean County Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. NJ State Police did not comment on the children’s identities.
