Three friends die after nighttime boat collision on Michigan’s Lake St Clair
Three close friends have died in a devastating nighttime boat collision on Lake St. Clair in Michigan, leaving a tight-knit boating community in mourning. The black Formula Thunderbird carrying the group was struck by a white Sea Ray Sundancer near MacRay Harbor on Wednesday, 7 October, before sinking. One survivor, Grzadzinski's wife Dawn, managed to escape by clutching a cushion and swimming to shore, though she remains hospitalised as investigators work to determine what caused the collision.
Gerald Grzadzinski, 64, a revered boat mechanic who knew Lake St. Clair intimately; Heidi Baldwin, 56, an Air Force veteran and devoted mother to her teenage son; and Craig Miller, 52, were recovered by rescue crews at approximately 5am the following morning and pronounced dead at the scene. The three were inseparable members of a close-knit boating community that spent nearly every weekend together on the water, with Wednesday outings becoming something of a tradition. Friends described them as a loyal, generous group whose bond was extraordinary.
- Three close friends killed in Lake St. Clair boat collision.
- One survivor clung to cushion and swam to shore.
- Investigation underway into cause of nighttime collision.
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A night-time collision between two boats on Lake St Clair in Michigan has claimed the lives of three people. On the evening of Wednesday, 7 October, a black Formula Thunderbird collided with a white Sea Ray Sundancer near MacRay Harbor, causing the Thunderbird to sink. Of the group aboard the Thunderbird, three died whilst one survivor managed to escape.
The three deceased were Gerald Grzadzinski, 64, a respected boat mechanic; Heidi Baldwin, 56, an Air Force veteran; and Craig Miller, 52. The survivor was Dawn Grzadzinski, Gerald's wife, who stayed afloat by holding onto a cushion before reaching shore. All three of the deceased were part of a close circle of friends in the local boating community.
The three friends were inseparable members of a tight-knit group that regularly spent their weekends boating on the lake, with Wednesday outings being a regular tradition. Those who knew them described them as loyal and generous, and their deaths have left a profound impact on their community. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Three close friends killed in horrific Midwest boat collision at popular beauty spot”.