Fundraiser to support the family of a high school graduate who died in a maritime accident

Many people in the Steamboat Springs community are mourning the loss of an 18-year-old high school graduate. A fundraiser is currently underway to support his family.

According to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, Jesse Hamric was visiting friends in Virginia with his family when he died in an apparent accident at Smith Mountain Lake early Thursday morning.

The sheriff’s office reported that Hamric fell into the water and witnesses who were with him noticed he was in distress. Two people jumped into the lake to help Hamric and immediately felt electricity in the water coming from a dock.

The sheriff’s office said witnesses were able to get Hamric out of the water and resuscitate him until emergency responders arrived. Hamric was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. Hamric’s death is being investigated as an accident.

Hamric was a standout football and baseball player at Steamboat Springs High School before graduating in May. His father, Jay, is the high school’s principal and football coach, and his mother, Heidi, teaches at Strawberry Park Elementary School.

A GoFundMe page was set up to support the Hamric family in a project led by Renie Grove.

“Please join us in supporting the beloved Hamric family,” organizers wrote on the GoFundMe page. “They are true servants to our community who make life better in Steamboat Springs through everything they do and their personalities! Jesse was a much-loved friend who brought light and positivity everywhere he went and we will miss him every day.”

For more information, visit Bit.ly/4cshE8A.

Organizers said a fund will also be set up with Yampa Valley Bank, which can accept direct deposits but, unlike GoFundMe, does not charge fees. Yampa Valley Bank’s Steamboat Springs branch is located at 600 S. Lincoln Ave. and can be reached during regular business hours at 970-879-2993.