Dad drowns while celebrating 28th wedding anniversary, reports say. ‘Love of my life’
A 71-year-old husband and father fell off of a boat and drowned while celebrating his wedding anniversary in Virginia, law enforcement and loved ones say.
McDaniel Rucker IV went missing the evening Sunday, June 25, in Swift Creek Reservoir after he went into the water and never resurfaced, according to a news release from Chesterfield County Police Department. Rucker’s body was recovered Tuesday, June 27, after it was spotted by a boater.
Rucker’s daughter, Meghan Williams, told WWBT that her father was “the kind of man that will take a piece of your heart with him.”
“This tragic incident happened at one of his favorite spots in the whole entire world, but at the same time, I feel like he’s where he kind of should have been,” Williams told the news outlet.
Rucker was celebrating his 28th wedding anniversary at the reservoir, his wife, Joan Rucker, wrote in a Facebook post.
“Dan, the love of my life, passed away on Sunday,” she wrote. “On the day he left us, we were reminiscing about our 28 years of marriage and all of the wonderful memories we created together. I love him dearly and will miss him every day.”
Before he retired, Rucker spent most of his career as an educator, according to his LinkedIn. He was the headmaster at Stony Point Private Schools and a history teacher at Robious Middle School, WWBT reported.
Former students and loved ones shared tributes to Rucker on social media.
“Words cannot express the love I have for this man and his entire family,” Sarah Parson’s wrote in a Facebook post. “Dan has been a steady and constant father figure to me since 2003 and my heart is broken. I wish I could say more to honor this amazing human but words simply cannot express how I feel.”
“I’m so thankful a man as wonderful as Dan had a woman as wonderful as you,” another person commented on Joan Rucker’s Facebook post. “My prayers go out to you and your family because I loved Dan and can’t imagine how hard this nightmare is for you all.”
“I am lost for words. Danny was one of a kind and a dear friend,” a third person commented on the post.
“Dan was truly a wonderful teacher, one of the best I’ve had the luck to work with,” another person said. ”He will be greatly missed by so many people.”
Swift Creek Reservoir is about 20 miles southwest of downtown Richmond.
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