A weekend blast on the Intracoastal turned into a nightmare for one West Palm Beach family after a high-speed catamaran flipped several times near Summa Beach Park, throwing three people into the water and leaving two of them facing a long and painful recovery.
Relatives say the road back will involve major injuries, surgeries and months of therapy. Two of the three people on board remain hospitalized as the family tries to juggle trauma care, rehab plans and day-to-day life.
The crash happened on Saturday morning about 20 yards off Summa Beach Park when a 25-foot catamaran flipped and partially sank, tossing all three occupants into the water, according to WPBF 25 News. West Palm Beach Fire Rescue and other agencies brought the victims to shore, and two were treated as trauma alerts and taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has opened an active investigation into what went wrong.
Family update
“My husband is suffering from a small brain bleed,” Liz Mayor told WPBF 25 News. She said her husband Al has a fractured ventricular vein that could raise the risk of stroke, three broken ribs that damaged a lung, fractures down his spine and that he was recently placed on dialysis.
Liz added that her 23-year-old son Alex also suffered significant injuries but has already started physical therapy. The family, she said, has been overwhelmed by the community response, from messages of support to neighbors stepping in to help.
The boat and the probe
Local reports identified the craft as a customized 25-foot Liberator performance catamaran. Liberator Boats highlights owner accounts of speeds near or above 90 to 100 miles per hour and markets the hull as a high-performance design.
That kind of speed, paired with the strong currents and windy conditions witnesses described, can make high-speed catamarans tougher to control in choppy water. Investigators have not released any final findings about what caused this particular crash.
Community support
The GoFundMe set up for the family shows about $14,535 raised toward a $250,000 goal, and organizers say the money will go toward surgeries, rehab and daily expenses, according to the campaign listing at GoFundMe.
Family members have told reporters they are deeply grateful for meals, rides and offers of help as they focus on long-term care and recovery. Local agencies continue to investigate the incident while the family concentrates on healing from a day on the water that changed everything.
