‘This was their place:’ Family, pals describe heartbreak after mother who fell by ice dies as seek for dad continues | EUROtoday

The household of an aged Massachusetts couple is grieving after a tragic weekend accident on Cape Cod.

The highschool sweethearts had been on a “normal” stroll on Saturday earlier than seemingly encountering hassle. Kathleen “Kit” Boucher, 71, died after being noticed half-submerged within the ice on Bee’s River. Two law enforcement officials additionally fell by the ice attempting to rescue her, however managed to get to security. Their canine had been noticed unfastened and moist on a close-by seaside, officers mentioned.

Her husband, Gerald “Jerry” Boucher, 72, stays lacking.

Rescuers looked for Jerry over the weekend however stopped attributable to harmful ice situations. The search resumed Tuesday utilizing divers, drones, and helicopters, with authorities hoping to proceed Thursday or Friday, relying on the climate.

The couple’s daughters, Katy Boucher and Amy Lawson, mentioned in a joint assertion Tuesday to NBC Boston, “Our family is devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved parents, Kit and Jerry Boucher. We are deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of the first responders in Eastham. We are thankful for the outpouring of love, and appreciate the privacy and discretion the community is extending to our family during this unimaginably difficult time.”

“They stroll all of the seashores, on a regular basis. They liked being on Cape Cod, they liked residing right here. This was their place,” said Dawn Varnum, who knew the Bouchers well, told the outlet,

Kit and Jerry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year, Lawson told the New Haven Register.

“They have been collectively since they have been 15 and died collectively on Valentine’s Day,” Lawson said. “They have been greatest pals all through life. They have been fiercely devoted to household and pals, and made everybody they met really feel liked and essential.”

Boucher said her parents took their dog for a walk on Valentine’s Day, a daily routine for her mother, likely joined by her father due to the holiday.

“When I arrived at their house after listening to the information,” Boucher said about their disappearances, “I may see their Valentine playing cards and candies on the kitchen desk. They have been simply going to do their regular factor. My sister retains saying, ‘They died alive.’ ”

Massachusetts State Representative Steve Xiarhos additionally despatched his condolences to the household, posting on Facebook, “We are absolutely heartbroken over the tragic loss of Kit Boucher and the ongoing search for her husband Jerry in Eastham,” sharing a photograph of the couple.