Tragic Trip: Family remembers Army veteran, fisherman who drowned in Lake Eufaula
DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — The children of Will Newman Senior, a retired army veteran, are stunned after they got a call this week that their father drowned in Lake Eufaula.
“Its kinda hard to believe it seems like a dream,” Veronica Newman said.
“It was tough when I got it, it didnt sit in with me and it still doesnt sit in with me now,’ Will Newman Jr. said.
His children say he was doing what he loved to do the most — spending his free time on the lake fishing.
“It was like another job to him he went fishing everyday it was one of his hobbies,” She said.
His hobby ended in a tragedy wednesday when he and his military friend were fishing. Authorities say they hit a bridge pillar, and with the high winds newman ended up falling off the boat near the Cheneyhatchee Bridge.
After hours of searching, his body was found.
“We definetly are mourning and have our sorrows about this but he was an amazing man and we learned a lot from him than we would probably learn from anyone else,” Newman said.
Newman was in the Army for 23 years and 19 years in the civil service.
“The reason I joined the service is so I could follow in his footsteps,” He said.
Not only did he serve the country but served others as well.
“He would take the shirt off his back to give it to you if anybody need him for anything he was always there he was just amazing and I’m glad a lot of people known him and know what he is and was he will be missed,” She said.
Newman has been married for 40 years and leaves behind five children.
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