Photo: Facebook
It was his first time in the ocean
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Aug 03, 2019
In the classical tradition, a play is considered a comedy if it ends with a wedding. That's because weddings are meant to be group gatherings, celebrations of life and family and love. When you think of a wedding, it's hard not to smile. But unfortunately, not every wedding is so cheerful when looked at in hindsight. A recent story about a young man drowning just days after his wedding has the world asking, who are Cheyenne Hedrick and Dalton Cottrell? Here's what we know about the young couple and the tragic days after their wedding that ruined everything.
1. The News
A wedding is supposed to be the happiest day in a young couple's lives. They gather together with family and friends and vow to love and honor each other until death do they part. After three days of being married, a young woman from Iowa, Cheyenne Hedrick, 22, is now a widow after her husband tragically drowned while swimming in the ocean on their honeymoon."Yesterday afternoon while at the beach the Lord decided to call my husband Dalton to come home to him,” Cheyenne said on Facebook.
2. The Wedding And Honeymoon
Cheyenne married her husband, Dalton Cottrell, also 22, in an intimate ceremony in front of family and friends in their home of Kansas City, Missouri. The couple was excited to get married and start their life together, and they were also excited about traveling to Florida for their honeymoon. Cheyenne and Dalton were swimming together at Crescent Beach in the town of St. Augustine three days after their wedding when a powerful current hit and dragged them deeper and deeper into the ocean. As the current became even stronger, Hedrick reported to KCRG-TV that she could see Dalton was struggling. “She attempted to assist him, but was unable to help him due to him pulling her under,” said the police.
3. The Rescue Attempts
There were other people present at the beach who noticed the couple was in danger and did their best to try and save Dalton before it was too late. A lifeguard on the beach, a local beach-goer named William Foy, and a man who was paddleboarding in the water nearby made their way over to Dalton and using the paddleboard, they brought Dalton back to shore. Once he was back on dry land those gathered tried their best to revive Dalton. The lifeguard went to the effort to perform CPR, but tragically it was too late. Dalton had suffered a full cardiac arrest, and once transferred to a local hospital he was pronounced dead.
4. Cheyenne Speaks Out
While the police who handled the case have not made a formal statement yet, Cheyenne did on Facebook and what she shared with her family, friends, and the world is totally heartbreaking. “3 days of wedded bliss turned into a nightmare very quickly for the Cottrell family as well as mine own. There is so much fear and uncertainty coursing through myself. My parents came down early this morning to be with me as I begin this 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 [sic],” she shared after revealing that the rumors were true and her husband had passed away during their honeymoon.
5. Dalton's Dreams For The Future
The family has yet to share any news regarding the planning of a funeral service or a memorial for Dalton, but his friends have already started a GoFundMe account in the hopes of raising enough money to contribute to whatever plans are made to help people remember Dalton and say goodbye to him. Dalton had big dreams, according to those who knew him. He felt a calling towards the religious life and was hoping to become a pastor. He was studying at Faith Bible College, concentrating on Pastoral Training alongside Cheyenne. Both had just completed their junior year at the school when this awful tragedy struck.
6. Faith Bible Remembers
The Faith Bible College itself plans on holding a prayer and memorial service for Dalton early next week. They have also issued a statement following the news of Dalton's death. "The Faith community was devastated by the news of the passing of one of our students, Dalton Cottrell, Tuesday evening, July 30, 2019. Dalton was on his honeymoon in Florida with his bride and fellow Faith student, Cheyenne (Pernice-Hedrick), when he passed away in a drowning accident. Please keep the Cottrell family, Cheyenne, and the entire Faith family in your prayers as we work through the difficult days ahead. Visitation and funeral announcements will be posted on our Facebook page when they become available."
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.