Southern California mother Tasha Turner was one of seven people on travelling on a boat on the Colorado River on Saturday, for a day of tubing.
Tasha was joined by her boyfriend—who had a ring in his pocket and was ready to propose that weekend—and her eight-year-old daughter.
But tragedy struck when the boat lost power and begun to sink, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Deputy William Poe explained that while the other passengers managed to swim away from the sinking vessel, Tasha could not free herself from a rope attached the boat and was dragged under water.
Tasha’s family said that when she realised she was going to drown, she handed her daughter, Genesis, to a jet-skiier who stopped to help.
“Before her mom threw her, she gave her a hug and said, ‘I love you. Goodbye,” Tasha’s sister, Myesha Turner said.
Tasha’s boyfriend, Norris Salah, explained: “The boat was so heavy I believe it got tied up around her and pulled her in”.
Norris told the publications that he and Tasha had dated for four years, and that he was planning to propose to her during the trip. He described her as a selfless and incredibly friendly woman.
“She really loved people. She was a people person and had a lot of friends. It was insane,” he said, Havasu News reports.
The mother’s body was found by dive teams on Sunday.
A GoFundMe page was launched to raise funds for her 8-year-old daughter. You can donate here.
This article first published on Marie Claire.
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