During a family vacation in the Florida Keys, a tragic incident occurred when a mother of two, Judy Kay Zagorski, 57, from Michigan, lost her life in an unexpected accident involving a large stingray. The event took place near Marathon in spring 2008.
Judy was sitting at the front of a boat, cruising at approximately 25 mph, when a 75-pound spotted eagle ray, boasting a wingspan of about six feet, suddenly emerged from the water and struck her in the face, causing her to fall backward onto the boat’s floor.
Despite the absence of evident puncture wounds from the ray’s venomous barbs, the sheer force of the impact proved fatal. The medical examiner for Monroe County confirmed that Judy passed away instantly due to blunt force trauma, sustaining multiple skull fractures and direct brain injuries. Notably, she was not stung by the ray.
Judy’s sister, Joyce Ann Miller, who was standing next to her, remained unscathed. Judy’s father, Virgil Bouck, was operating the boat, and her mother, Verneta, was also present as the family enjoyed their spring holiday together.
Following the tragic incident, the ray also perished in the boat. Authorities categorized it as a freak accident, as spotted eagle rays are typically not aggressive and only deploy their venomous tail barbs in self-defense. While these rays are known to leap out of the water to evade threats or remove parasites, encounters with humans are exceedingly rare.
Spotted eagle rays can reach weights of up to 500 pounds with wingspans extending as wide as ten feet. Protected under Florida law, they usually glide peacefully near the ocean’s surface.
The unexpected demise of Judy has deeply shocked both residents and tourists. Describing her as “a truly awesome sister,” her brother Dan Bouck shared that Judy dedicated her time to volunteering with terminally ill patients and managing Beadle Bay Marina and Campground with her late husband, Steve Zagorski.
Experts stress that such occurrences are highly uncommon. While there have been sporadic instances of rays landing in boats, fatalities are seldom reported.
This particular case has drawn parallels to other notable accidents involving marine life, such as the tragic death of Steve Irwin in Australia.