A mother's love

I read this sad story and was reminded of a mother's amazing love to save her daughters before dying. I'm also surprised at her letting her children on a water craft of any kind without a lifejacket on.

Woman drowns in Lewisville watercraft spill
Witness at lake says victim reluctant rider
07:20 AM CDT on Monday, May 15, 2006
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
THE COLONY – A Collin County woman died Sunday on Lewisville Lake after she and her two daughters were thrown from the personal watercraft on which they were riding.
Maria Lopez, 35, of Princeton was taken by helicopter to Methodist Dallas Medical Center after the accident during a Mother's Day picnic at Stewart Creek Park.
Ms. Lopez was riding on the back of the craft about 5 p.m. when a relative apparently lost control, said Lt. David Cavins of the The Colony Fire Department.
Neither the woman nor the girls were wearing lifejackets, Lt. Cavins said.
About an hour later, the Lewisville Fire Department dive team pulled Ms. Lopez's body from a 12- to 15-foot-deep inlet, Lt. Cavins said. Paramedics at the scene were unsuccessful in resuscitating her.
The Dallas County medical examiner's office was performing an autopsy.
Lt. Cavins said the dive team spent about 40 minutes searching for the woman's body in the murky water.
"Basically the dive team had to go by feel," he said.
Maria Tristan, who was sitting at a picnic table near the Lopez family, said Ms. Lopez was reluctant to ride the watercraft but got on anyway. Minutes later, she said, it collided with another vessel.
Mrs. Tristan said the woman lifted her two daughters to safety and then sank.
More than 100 onlookers gathered at the grassy picnic area near the shore, Mrs. Tristan said, and someone tried to save Ms. Lopez but couldn't.
"It was chaos," said the 28-year-old mother of five.
"[Her girls] were crying, 'My mommy! My mommy!' "

What a crappy way for these girls to remember Mother's Day.