"Unprecedented & Tragic" - Three Deaths In Three Weeks On Nantucket's Beaches

Harbormaster Sheila Lucey, who runs Nantucket's lifeguard program, can't remember anything like it.

Over the span of just three weeks this summer, three people have died after being pulled from the water at island beaches, including last weekend's death of a 31-year-old man near Ladies Beach.

"This is unprecedented and it’s tragic," Lucey said. "I can't remember a time where we've had three in 20 days. It's just extremely tragic. In all three cases, we've done everything to the best of our abilities and given every one of them the best we had to save them."

For the families and loved ones of the victims, the deaths are tragic and life-changing. For Lucey's lifeguards - many of them college and high school students - the traumatic events in quick succession have been extremely challenging both in the moment as they administer CPR, and in the aftermath as they process what they witnessed.

"My heart is broken for these lifeguards," Lucey said. "They work so hard and try so hard and they do everything right and their training is on point. I’m gutted for them, and I have so much respect for them. But they come in and they’ll be there tomorrow, ready to help and do the right thing again. They don’t put it behind them, but they know there are people counting on them every day."

She is also protective of them. The Current asked Lucey to speak with one or more of the lifeguards about their experiences over the past three weeks, but she declined on their behalf, stating the situation was still "raw" and that it would be best to do an interview at the end of the summer. 

To assist the lifeguards following such tragic events, the Harbormaster's office engages peer support groups and invites critical incident stress teams to speak with them whenever there is a challenging incident on the water. 

"I do feel it’s helpful and they do take advantage of it," Lucey said. 

Last Saturday's death at Ladies Beach was preceded by the incident on July 20th, when a participant at the Nantucket Triathlon was pulled unresponsive from the waters at Jetties Beach and later passed away. Then on August 6th, an 80-year-old man died at Miacomet Beach after he was found by beachgoers unresponsive in the surf.

While some outlets have stated these deaths were the result of the victims having drowned, it's not yet clear if that is the case or whether they were the result of a medical issue or some other cause.

Last Saturday, the individual who died was in the water at an unguarded beach close to Ladies Beach along the south shore. Earlier in the day, Lucey had closed all south shore beaches to swimming due to rough conditions, and the lifeguards at all of those stands were flying double red flags and advising people to stay out of the water.

When the 911 call first came in, the lifeguards at Ladies Beach were the first town personnel to respond to the scene and they administered CPR to the victims, as they did at Jetties Beach and Miacomet Beach during the prior incidents. 

While similar incidents have, of course, occurred on Nantucket's beaches in the past, having three in three weeks is something Lucey said has tested the lifeguards and herself, but they are showing their resolve to keep doing the job nonetheless.