CAMERON PARISH, La. — The family of a grieving husband has started a GoFundMe to raise money for him after his wife and two daughters drowned in the Gulf in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
The tragic incident happened Sunday. The family of Samantha Alexander said she took her four children for a swim.
At some point, campers saw Samantha Alexander's 3-year-old son wandering alone. When asked where his mother was, the young child said she was in the water, so campers called area law enforcement.
Responding crews recovered Samantha Alexander, her 7-year-old daughter, and her 8-year-old daughter and rescued her 9-year-old son. The family and officials believe the mother and her three children were caught in a strong current.
Officials believe the Alexander family moved to Texas from Mississippi after the dad got a job at the Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Sabine Pass.
Samantha Alexander was taken to a Beaumont hospital and her daughters were taken to the Medical Center of Southeast Texas in Port Arthur. Judge Burnett pronounced the mother and her daughters dead and ordered autopsies.
Her 9-year-old son was flown to a hospital in Lake Charles. The family said he has since been released from the hospital.
The family has started a GoFundMe to help Samantha Alexander's husband, Caleb Alexander, with funeral and memorial service costs, as well as medical expenses for their son.
"Please donate if you can, and keep this family in your thoughts and prayers," the family said in the GoFundMe.
So far, more than $8,000 has been raised.
"There are not enough words to express how grateful we are to everyone who has donated and shared the GoFundMe page," the family said in the GoFundMe. "Thank you for all of your love and kind words in this extremely difficult time, Thank you for all the prayers and support. This isn't a situation anyone could have ever prepared for and we are all very, very, very grateful for everyone's support as we navigate through this tremendous loss as best as we can."
The family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support they are receiving following the tragic incident.
"We appreciate everyone’s help, and of course the messages of encouragement and prayers being lifted up on our behalf," Rebekah Metcalf, Caleb Alexander's cousin, said.
The family is encouraging everyone to, "hug your babies tight, tell the people you love how much you love them, and remember how quickly life can change on you."
