Leanne Gregory, 36, drowned in the Bahamas while attempting to rescue her two young sons who were swept away by a strong current, an incident that occurred during what was meant to be a 10th anniversary trip, her husband revealed.
Nathan Gregory, who has since returned to England with their sons, described his wife as "a hero in life and in death" following the "unimaginable" loss. The couple had been together for 22 years, having met when they were 14. He told the BBC that Leanne was "the purest of people, the most generous, kind, and beautiful person who ever walked the Earth." He further stated, "Our relationship was perfect. She was the perfect mother, the perfect wife, the foundation of our entire family."
The tragedy unfolded on Oct. 20 off the coast of North Bimini. The family had been setting up towels and bags on the beach while their two sons snorkeled in shallow water. Within moments, the children were caught by a powerful current and pulled out into the sea.
Both parents immediately entered the water to save their sons. While the children were successfully brought to safety, Leanne Gregory could not be rescued. Her husband reported that the entire event transpired in less than 10 minutes.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force received an alert around 10 a.m. regarding an unresponsive woman at the North Bimini Ferry Dock. Bystanders administered CPR before Gregory was transported to a local medical clinic, where she was pronounced deceased.
The Bahamian Foreign Office stated, "Our thoughts are with the family of a British woman who has died in the Bahamas. We are in contact with the local authorities and providing support to her family."