Good morning friends,
Levi Caverly came to the Jersey Shore for all the usual reasons: An early-season getaway, a reward for finishing school, a chance to relax and enjoy some family time with his mother and sister.
Their trip to a Toms River beach ended in unspeakable tragedy, after Levi, 18, and his 17-year-old sister became trapped when the walls of the deep hole they were digging collapsed around them. His sister was rescued after a desperate dig, but Levi didn’t make it. It was the third fatal sand collapse at local beaches in the last decade, our Noah Cohen reported.
Levi’s family returned to Maine without him, and his mother, Angela, said the family was taking comfort in the knowledge so many on the beach had tried to help.
She said Levi had just finished his last year of homeschooling, and the family had come to Toms River for a vacation.
“He was trying to learn computer coding, self-taught. He loved music and was playing drums in a praise band at our church,” Angela Caverly told our Tony Attrino.
“This was our first time (in Toms River). We came to try to have a family vacation,” Angela Caverly said, adding that she does not regret coming to New Jersey. “It is what it is. You can’t change it.”
So much of parenting is like that: The desire to tell our kids to be careful and not do anything dangerous, tempered by the knowledge that it’s better to tell them to do dangerous things carefully. My heart breaks for Angela Caverly and any parent who faces the loss of a child.
Every year, millions of tourists come to the Jersey Shore to enjoy all it has to offer. It’s a special place, where precious memories are made. But it can also be dangerous and unpredictable, from getting caught in a riptide or stung by a jellyfish, to swimming on an unguarded beach or in this case, digging too deep into shifting sands.
Last summer, lightning killed a lifeguard who was out there to keep others safe. Each season brings stories of heartbreak, and reminders from officials on how to stay safe.
May this be a season of safety for us all.
Also this week, monkeypox again, an angel arises, a New Jersey connection to the Buffalo massacre, a Real ID update, and the best restaurants:
MONKEYPOX REDUX: This feels like an annual thing at this point, but monkeypox has popped up in the U.S., with a case in Massachusetts. Symptoms include the familiar fever, chills, headache combo but there’s a rash involved, too.
ANGEL IN HIDING: The “Angel of Faith” will return to Trenton, after city detectives found the stolen statue in pieces in a Philadelphia scrapyard. It had stood in the city since 1986 before thieves made off with it recently. Two men are charged.
RACIST SCREED: The hate-filled, racist screed left by the Buffalo mass killer suspect mentions three New Jersey communities known to have large Jewish and minority populations. Local authorities are on alert, Kevin Shea reports.
REAL ID, AGAIN: After complaints about the lack of available appointments for Real ID drivers licenses, a flood of slots was released on Monday. Did you get one? Let me know!
DINING OUT: If you’re thinking of dining out this weekend, check the latest Pete Genovese list before you go. He’s got the best restaurants in every New Jersey county. Check it out and see if you agree with his picks.
Finally, our Daysi Calavia-Robertson has been doing an incredible job with her coverage of the ongoing baby formula shortage. Her columns have humanized the issue, with stories of Moms helping each other and how they’re dealing with price gouging. Her columns have gotten results, with Gov. Phil Murphy declaring a state of emergency around the issue after her inquiries about what he was doing to help parents facing this life-and-death issue.
Keep telling us your stories, parents -- we’re listening.
Stay cool this weekend, everyone.
P.S.: How crazy is the Jersey Shore real estate market? This crazy.
