Dalton Cottrell and his wife Cheyenne were swept nearly 100 yards out to sea just three days after getting married
A young man drowned on his honeymoon – just three days after his wedding – when he went swimming in the ocean for the first time in his life.
Dalton Cottrell and his wife Cheyenne, both 22, were swept nearly 100 yards out to sea at a beach in Florida.
The newlyweds had decided to go for a swim but they became caught in a rip current and Mr Cottrell “started to freak out”, according to police.
His devastated wife Cheyenne announced his death on Facebook, posting a selfie taken on the beach and a photo showing the couple’s feet in the water.
She wrote: “3 days of wedded bliss turned into a nightmare very quickly for the Cottrell family as well as mine own.
“Never did I think at 22 would I be a wife and then a widow so quickly.”
The tragedy happened on Tuesday as the young couple, who were living in Iowa, were on their honeymoon in northern Florida.
They had tied the knot just three days earlier in Kansas City, Missouri. Mr Cottrell was training to become a pastor.
Police said the Cottrells were pulled out to sea while swimming near Crescent Beach.
Mrs Cottrell told officers it was her husband’s first time in the ocean and he “started to freak out”.
She told police that he struggled and when she tried to help he tried to pull her under.
He then went underwater for more than a minute.
A lifeguard and a paddleboarder swam out to save the couple.
They placed Mr Cottrell on a paddleboard and took him back to the beach, where the lifeguard tried to revive him.
Mr Cottrell was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead after going into cardiac arrest.
In her Facebook post, Mrs Cottrell wrote: “3 days of wedded bliss turned into a nightmare very quickly for the Cottrell family as well as mine own.
“Many of you know but more of you do not; so the family and I decided to put the awful news here on Facebook though this is not where I wish to place it or even have to say it.
“Yesterday afternoon while at the beach the Lord decided to call my husband Dalton to come home to Him.
“There is so much fear and uncertainty coursing through myself.
“My parents came down early this morning to be with me as I begin the next journey.
“Never did I think at 22 would I be a wife and then a widow so quickly.“Please pray for I and all families as we grief.
“Right now there is no details for a funeral, but we will know more in the next several days.
“I love you so much Dalton Cottrell.”
