ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nearly the entire Gulf Coast was under a high rip current risk this past weekend, and officials are warning families to be careful at the beach.
The Stephens family is hoping others will heed those warnings after their own experience on April 23.
"It could happen within seconds like it did for my family, unfortunately," Brooke Stephens said.
She's one of six siblings in mourning after a beach day turned deadly.
"It was calm, then windy and choppy. In seconds they were pushed out a good distance," Stephens says about her father and little sister.
At just 17 years old, Brooke Stephens is grieving an irreplaceable loss. Michael Stephens, 42, and his 10-year-old daughter, Isabella, got caught in a rip current at Pass-a-Grille beach.
"I wasn't there, but on the way we prayed. You know, I really just wanted them to be OK," Brooke said.
She spoke to 10 Tampa Bay's Angelina Salcedo while sitting next to her older sister's boyfriend, Jessie. He was there in the water with Michael and Isabella when things took a turn.
"I start freaking out a little bit, Brittany starts freaking out," Jessie Johnson said. "I knew I had to think about what to do fast because it's a life or death situation."
Jessie was able to swim and get his girlfriend to safety. He tried to go back and get Michael and Isabella, but the water was too deep.
"I heard him screaming for me, 'Jessie help! Jessie help!' I wish I could've done more in that situation, but I didn't want to risk losing another life. I just knew there was nothing else I could do," Johnson said.
Pinellas County deputies, St. Pete Beach fire rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard raced to find them.
"I see my sister Trinity, my sister Brittany and Jessie sitting down, you know, at the rocks and they looked at me," Brooke said. "They were just concerned. They were you know, in tears, they were scared. They didn't know what was going to happen."
Michael and Isabella were rescued but didn't survive. Isabella was the youngest of six siblings. Michael was the life of the party and a loving father who tried to save his daughter.
"I still love him. He died a hero,'" Brooke said. "I don't think me or my family are ever gonna go to a beach again after this, or even probably step foot near one for a while. It's been a lot on us."
The family says they'd like to look into putting a memorial for both Michael and Isabella on Pass-a-Grille Beach. Their sudden death experience has forced the family to try and come up with funeral arrangements before next week. If you'd like to help support them you can find their GoFundMe by searching "The Stephens Family" here.