With great sadness we have to finally report that early Sunday morning authorities recovered the final two missing souls who were onboard the boat that overturned on Lake Lanier last Friday afternoon. All four lost were Kentucky natives who were a vital part of the community both in and around Lake Cumberland.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials said the bodies of 46-year-old Arthur Gene McMahan Jr. and 44-year-old Anthony Reece Jr. were located Sunday morning and the bodies of 45-year-old Melissa Renee McMahan and 44-year-old Tammy Reece were found Saturday. Melissa and Arthur McMahan are from Mount Washington, Kentucky. Tammy and Anthony Reece are from Columbia, Kentucky
Maj. Stephen Adams of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said the single-vessel boat incident occurred on the southern end of Lake Lanier on Friday and no other boats or watercraft were involved.
Our powerboating world is small and these incidents leave a heavy weight on all of us. Whether Art and Melissa or Anthony and Tammy were close personal friends to many of us, or just known in the community of powerboating, the tragedy of the loss is inescapable and hard to accept.
Our thoughts and prayers go out the families of those we lost.
From the McMahan family –
“At this time we want to thank the community, friends and family for their ongoing love and support. Our parents meant the world to us, we never realized how much impact they had on people’s lives. They both were such amazing, loving and caring parents, grandparents, children siblings and friends to so many. They were one of a kind and will truly be missed. Thank you again for your continued prayers.”
