Tragically, when a wave from another boat’s wake rocked a 23-foot boat Olivia Knighton was driving, nine out of the twelve people on board went overboard. The incident occurred on the Intracoastal Waterway near Little River, near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
One of the nine individuals who drowned was Olivia. Olivia was hit by a propeller and taken to McLeod Seacoast Hospital, where she passed away from her wounds. The other eight people who fell overboard were unharmed in the incident.
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Authorities are continuing their comprehensive investigation into the tragedy, which reportedly includes interviews with witnesses and a careful examination of the boat Olivia was on, and have scheduled Olivia’s autopsy for this Friday.
The legal process is well underway, but the Knighton family is devastated. Added Brad Knighton:
“Our family is still in a state of shock over the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful and brilliant daughter, Olivia.”
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Since it’s still unknown exactly what transpired before the fatal occurrence, a lot more inquiry is still needed. People in the family’s circle of friends also grieve her passing, as does her family.
The day following the event, Brad shared with the world on Instagram that his daughter had sadly perished in a boating accident the day before, and the family was heartbroken by the young girl’s untimely passing.
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He said the family would endure the sorrow they were experiencing collectively, but he also admitted:
We remain in a state of shock.
Brad continued by saying that his daughter had a deep passion for both soccer and his club. He then begged his supporters to send their thoughts and prayers to the family at this trying time, saying that they felt like they needed their love and support more than ever.
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Brad concluded by saying that the family cherished Olivia. After their devastating loss, comments full of love, prayers, and condolences quickly started flooding in for Brad and his family.
One commentator acknowledged that while they had been nearby shortly after the accident, they were unable to reach Olivia or the boat to aid anybody and were left with little choice but to call 911.
The commenter admits to crying several times because they wish they could have done more to assist Olivia at the scene and expressed the wish that they could embrace the entire Knighton family.
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The commenter informed Brad that they will continue to include him and his family in their prayers for a very long time. Many famous people also left comments, sending their condolences and prayers to the Knighton family as they mourned the loss.
As well as letting Brad know that he and his family were in their prayers, fans expressed their desire for him to know how incredibly loved Olivia was by both those who knew her and those who had observed her development through the prism of her father’s celebrity.
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Many remarked on what a bright, outgoing young girl Olivia was and expressed how much they loved watching her develop into the woman she was. Others expressed their condolences or made comments with a white dove and prayer hand emojis.
Olivia received several comments from followers and family members on her father’s post, but her father’s old soccer team also paid Olivia a heartfelt tribute while they were playing.
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Just a few days after it was revealed that young Olivia had perished in the ocean, the former soccer team of her father faced the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey on Saturday night.
The Revolution players wore black armbands the whole game to show their support for the Knighton family and to show that they were in grief. In addition, the players displayed a unique jersey with Olivia’s name on it in her honor.
The Revolution took some pictures of their displays of unity and posted them on Twitter for everyone to see. The team’s description for the pictures it released read:
“Olivia, you’re always with us.”
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Her father’s previous squad paid homage to her, but so did the team they competed with. As the teams competed, the New York Red Bulls posted a picture of Olivia on their video screen.
Brad, who is currently the head coach of the U-19 Revolution Academy squad, expressed his deep gratitude to both teams for showing the family their support and love at this difficult time. “We are so appreciative of everyone’s ongoing prayers, love, and support for our angel,” he stated.
To help them cope with Olivia’s unexpected passing, Revolution has given trauma and grief therapy to the pupils at Olivia’s school, some of whom left comments on Revolution’s Twitter post.
You’re with us always, Olivia. @bbknighton 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/vme3h4FP7L
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) July 22, 2023
Fans and famous people who support the team also left comments on the Revolution’s Twitter post. Many expressed their sincere sympathies, while others discussed how tragic it was that she had passed away.
For the upcoming game, one fan requested that all spectators wear black armbands in honor of the family as they grieve the loss of their little daughter.
Many people remarked on how lovely the homage to Olivia was and stated that it matched Olivia’s beauty. The Knighton family is in our hearts and prayers during this terrible time. Peace be with you, Olivia.