The heartbreaking story of seven-year-old Sloan Mattingly’s untimely death at a Florida beach has captured the attention of people worldwide. In a recent interview, her devastated parents, Therese and Jason Mattingly, shared the details of that fateful day.
The Mattinglys described the day as “perfect” until the unimaginable happened. Sloan and her older brother, Maddox, were happily digging a hole in the sand when chaos struck. Without warning, the hole collapsed, trapping the two children underneath.
Beachgoers, shocked by the sudden turn of events, rushed to the children’s aid. Miraculously, they managed to pull Maddox out of the hole up to his chest. But tragically, they were unable to save Sloan in time.
Now, Therese and Jason want to raise awareness and prevent such a tragedy from happening to other families. They admit to being overprotective parents who always think of every possible danger. However, they never anticipated that a harmless activity like digging a hole on the beach could lead to such a devastating outcome.
Reflecting on the speed at which the hole collapsed, Therese shared, “It hurts so much because it didn’t matter how close we were. It was just a hole, and then there was nothing.”
Jason also spoke about the impact this horrifying ordeal has had on Maddox. He acknowledged that his son will always carry this experience with him but reassured that they are committed to helping him process the loss and move forward with Sloan forever in his heart.
Our hearts go out to the Mattingly family as they navigate this unimaginable loss. Rest in peace, Sloan Mattingly.
