Syndication: Journal Sentinel
(Massapequa, NY) – What was supposed to be a Long Island couple’s celebration of their new life together turned to tragedy.
Thirty-seven year old Travis Valenti is presumed dead after a kayaking accident in Washington’s Olympic National Park last Friday. Two days earlier, Valenti had proposed to his girlfriend and they were on vacation celebrating. The Massapequa native and his fiance were kayaking on Lake Crescent when Valenti’s kayak began to fill with water. Reports are that Travis pushed his fiance to safety before he submerged. Valenti’s fiance tried to rescue him but her kayak also overturned. She was able to swim offshore to alert nearby staff and park rangers. After a two hour search, park rangers were unable to locate Valenti and he is presumed dead.
The National Park Service says that Lake Crescent reaches about 50 degrees around this time of year and falling into the water could severely limit someone’s ability to breathe and move their body. Neither of them were wearing a life jacket. Valenti’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help divers and boaters search for his body.
