Flying Umbrella Impales, Kills Woman On The Beach

Beach Umbrella Takes Off in the Wind

Photo: Getty Images

A South Carolina woman died in a freak accident while lounging on Surfside Beach in Garden City. A gust of wind lifted the beach umbrella out of the sand and sent it flying through the air.

The umbrella impaled 63-year-old Tammy Perreault in the chest as bystanders, including off-duty medical professionals, rushed over to help until paramedics arrived.

Perreault was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Sherry White, who was one of Perreault's best friends, witnessed the tragic accident.

"A gust of wind that came through took an umbrella through the air, and it just kept going and going. Everyone says, "Duck," and we did, but unfortunately, she was in the line of fire," White told WMBF.

"She was the most loving and kind person I think I ever met. She never had a bad word to say about anybody," White said. "She always put others first, and her husband and her were inseparable. If you saw Mike, you saw Tammy. They had a great passion and love for each other."

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, roughly 3,000 people are injured by flying beach umbrellas every year. The agency recommends ensuring that the umbrella is embedded at least two feet deep into the sand and tilted into the wind to keep it from blowing away.


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