A Pennsylvania mom has died following an ATV ride with her family.
Jamie Uchic, 37-year-old a mom of two, died in an accidental drowning after an ATV carrying her and her family flipped. The vehicle became submerged in a large puddle, which the family thought was shallow, but ended up being about 4 to 5 feet deep.
Jamie's husband, Steve Uchic, was able to get out of the vehicle and get their children to safety.
According to The Times-Tribune in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Jamie and Steve's two kids were riding in the ATV on private property in a location riders often pass through. The ATV hit a puddle just off the trail and toppled over.
Steve and the children had to walk for about 45 minutes to get help.
Following the tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been started to help Steve and his kids. "The Uchic family is not just your ordinary family," the organizer writes. "They're a family of love, life and all things fun! From taking something so simple and laughing with it – to finding light in any situation, they know how to enjoy one another and all things around them."
The message continues, praising the late mother for the kind of person she was. "Jamie was a beautiful soul. She worked in an environment where her needs were last, and others were first, always making sure to do the best she could in any given circumstance."
According to comments on the page, Jamie worked with children with autism. One comment reads, in part: "She changed Rachel's life. Rachel grew so much as a person from being with Jamie. Jamie meant the world to Rachel. Rachel has autism and there are only a handful of people she will call and talk to on the phone. Jamie made that special list."
The page has already raised more than $24,000 of its original $3,500 goal, which is a testament to just how loved Jamie was.
Of Jamie's kids, the page reads, "I know that Jamie would want to make sure they were taken care of in any way possible to better their future. Thank you for your support, time and donation. Jamie was an incredible person, and she deserves to be remembered that way."
