A day at the beach came to a tragic end for a South Carolina woman when she was stabbed in the chest by an umbrella.
Tammy Perreault, 63, was spending Wednesday at Garden City Beach with her partner and friends when a gust of wind lifted an umbrella.
“We all said to ourselves: ‘be careful’, but unfortunately she was in the way,” said one of her friends, Sherry White, to NBC News.
“It was a normal day. No other umbrella or even beach towel flew away,” added the victim’s spouse, Mike Perreault.
Seriously injured in the abdomen, the 60-year-old was taken to the nearest hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
His relatives paid him heartfelt tributes on Monday in several American media or on social networks.
“She loved everyone and everyone loved her. I never heard her criticize anyone,” said her husband, Mike.
An investigation has been opened by Horry County to shed light on the circumstances of the accident.