2024-11-07 19:30:00
Two of the six men and boys whose crab fishing boat sank in Bodega Bay on Saturday were survivors of a 2017 mass shooting in Tehama County. Their mother, who also survived the shooting, has also lost her husband.
Tragedy seems to have followed the Phommathep family, and today we’re learning that Tiffany Phommathep, a mother of six boys who was shot four times while protecting two of her sons during a mass shooting event seven years ago, has now likely lost her husband and two sons in a boating accident.
The disaster happened on Saturday. Phommathep tells KTVU that her husband is an avid fisherman, and had been out with his sons in Bodega and Monterey bays for several weekends in a row. But this weekend, which marked the opening of the recreational Dungeness crab fishing season, the waters were apparently rough on Bodega Bay, and all we know is that their boat began taking on water and ultimately sank.
The sole survivor of the incident, as far as we know, is an 11-year-old boy named Juladi. Phommathep says that a cousin, Prasong, had joined in on the trip with his son Juladi, and the boy apparently survived by floating to shore on a plastic cooler, which the adults and older boys made sure he had, being the youngest of the group.
All six onboard reportedly had life vests.
The body of 17-year-old Johnny Phommathep Jr. washed up on a beach earlier this week. His 14-year-old brother Jake and their father, Johnny Phommathep Sr., remain missing, along with the cousin and an adult male friend.
Johnny and Jake, then 10 and 7, were both in the car with their mother, Tiffany, being driven to school on a November morning in 2017 when a crazed neighbor on a shooting spree — he had already, at this point, fatally shot his wife and two neighbors — bumped her car and then pulled up alongside it.
44-year-old Kevin Janson Neal shot into the car, striking Tiffany four times, shooting 10-year-old Johnny Junior in the leg, and 7-year-old Jake in the foot. Tiffany said she was trying to protect Johnny, who was in the passenger seat, from being killed.
Compounding the tragedy, as ABC10 reported at the time, Tiffany Phommathep got out of her car after being shot and tried to flag down help, but four different cars just sped off. She was ultimately given aid from a sheriff’s deputy arriving at the scene.
From the hospital, she told ABC10, “I want to get better so I can be with my kids. I just want to see them grow.”
Now, she can only pray that, maybe, her husband and other son survived and are still alive somewhere near Bodega Bay, unable to get help.
“They’ve been through so much, both of my sons Johnny and Jake,” said Tiffany, speaking to KTVU Wednesday. “Already one tragedy. They made [it through] that one, just to come out here.”
Johnny Phommathep Sr., 41, was a United States Air Force veteran who served in Iraq, and he was a volunteer firefighter in Tehama County.
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### Interview: Tiffany Phommathep on the Tragic Loss of Her Family
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Tiffany. We are deeply sorry for the immense tragedy you are facing following the recent boating accident. Could you start by telling us a little about what happened that day?
**Tiffany Phommathep:** Thank you for having me. It’s been an incredibly difficult time for our family. On Saturday, my husband and two sons—Johnny and Jake—went out for a day of crabbing, like they’ve done many times before. Unfortunately, the sea conditions were rough, and their boat began taking on water. We only know so much, but it sank, and they didn’t make it back.
**Interviewer:** I can’t imagine the pain of such a loss. I understand that both Johnny and Jake were survivors of the tragic 2017 mass shooting. Can you share how that experience shaped your family?
**Tiffany:** That shooting incident was a turning point for us—it was a nightmare that left deep scars. My boys showed incredible resilience after the shooting. They were just young children trying to make sense of a horrific event. Losing them now feels like a cruel continuation of that tragedy. It’s heartbreaking.
**Interviewer:** The media has reported that an 11-year-old boy named Juladi was the sole survivor. How is he doing, and what do you want people to know about his incredible escape?
**Tiffany:** Juladi is doing as well as can be expected. He managed to float to shore on a cooler, a decision made by the adults before we knew what would happen. It’s a little bit of solace in all this that he survived, but it’s pain mixed with joy. He witnessed so much, and he’ll need support as we navigate this.
**Interviewer:** Your family has faced unimaginable loss. What kind of support are you hoping to receive from the community during this time?
**Tiffany:** Right now, we need emotional support—prayers, condolences, and any help that can ease the burden on us. I’d also like to advocate for mental health resources for families affected by trauma. It’s crucial, especially for kids like Juladi who have endured so much already.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your courage in sharing your story, Tiffany. Our thoughts are with you and your family during this devastating time.
**Tiffany:** Thank you for your understanding and for helping to share our story. It means a lot to us.
