Dad, 37, Killed in 'Freak Accident' After Being Hit by 'Powerful' Wave

A “powerful” wave killed a North Carolina man when it hit him and broke his neck while he was swimming with his children at the beach.

Lee Dingle, 37, died in what his wife called a “freak accident” at Oak Beach, she said in a statement posted on Twitter.

“My partner, my love, and my home died today,” Shannon Dingle wrote. “Lee was playing on the beach with three of our kids yesterday, and an intense wave hit him just right to slam his head into the sand and break his neck.”

Shannon added that some “heroes,” including the couple’s own children, tried to save him, to no avail. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died, WWAY-TV reported.

The couple have six children together, four of whom were adopted.

“We met when I was 18 and he was 19, and we’ve been together ever since. I wasn’t supposed to be saying goodbye at 37. I don’t know how to be a grown up without him, but I’ll learn. I just wish I didn’t have to,” Shannon added.

Lee worked as an engineer in Raleigh for the past 15 years. 

A GoFundMe for the family has raised $143,000 of its $200,000 goal. 

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