When I am writing about missing people, I do notice patterns.  Many, many people get lost in the woods, probably more than you realize.  You have heard me talk about this before, and I tell people to get personal GPS locators if they are going hiking and even on a long drive, especially in the winter.

So, lately, I have been noticing a pattern with people missing after going into the water.   I thought I would make a list of missing people that went missing who were in water over the Memorial Day weekend.  I think you will be as surprise as I am, to find how many people die from accidental drowning.  Please note, I did not include suicides in this list.

So, please everyone, what you can take away from this, is to please put on your life jackets when you are in the water.  The boat flips, you conk your head and that’s it, but if you are wearing a life jacket it will keep your head above the water even though you have been knocked unconsciousness.

Police say, too, that when people go swimming in rivers, they don’t realize that there may be an undertow, or how swift the water is really flowing.

And it doesn’t matter that much if you are swimming with a group of people, because even though they see you go under, it is very hard for them to find you under the water.

So, everyone, the weather is warming up, more people will be out there swimming, and fishing and boating.  Get those life jackets on, I don’t want you be a statistic.

May 29, 2011 – Lake Elsinore, Calif.  Boat capsized while fishing, man missing
May 29, 2011 – Piggott, Arkansas – Boat capsized while fishing, man missing, woman and two men swam to shore
May 30, 2011 – Creek Falls, Pennsylvania, Man, accidental drowning
May 30, 2011 – Lake Conroe, Texas – Man, accidental drowning
May 29, 2011 – Oceanside, Calif – Man, accidental drowning, ocean
May 30, 2011 – W. Kerr Scott Reservoir – Man, accidental drowning
May 29, 2011 –  Lake Barnett, Arkansas –  Boat capsized while fishing, two men missing
May 30, 2011 – McCoy Falls, Virginia – Man, accidental drowning
May 30, 2011 – Spanish Fork, Utah – Boy, accidental drowning
May 30, 2011 – Benbrook Lake, Texas – Teen, accidental drowning
May 30, 2011 – Buffalo National River, Arkansas – Man, accidental drowning
May 29, 2011 – Mission, Texas – Man, accidental drowning
May 28, 2011 – Sunshine Skyway, Florida – 3 overboard in ocean, life jacket on child, none on adults