The parents of a 7-year-old girl who died after being buried in beach sand in Florida have spoken out

“It’s a vague memory, and it’s probably my mind protecting itself, but it happened so fast. In my mind I had it in my hand, but the sand weighed too much.” So he remembered Therese Mattingly The tragic moment her young 7-year-old daughter died after falling into a ditch at the beach Broward Countyalong with his 9-year-old brother who was injured.

This incident took place on the beach of Lauderdale-by-the-Seain the southeast FloridaWhen the brothers Maddox and Sloan MattinglyThose who dug holes in the sand, fell into the pit and were trapped.

The Mattingly family, originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, spoke for the first time in an interview for the “Good Morning America” ​​program. ABC NewsIn hopes of preventing other families from going through the same devastating situation.

According to Therese Mattingly and her husband, Jason Mattingly, February 20 was a “perfect” day as far as their children, Sloan and Maddox, were playing. Sloan was pronounced dead at the hospital, despite immediate efforts by beachgoers and officials to save him.

“We are the people that other parents or family members turn their eyes to We are a bit overprotective most of the time and overthink everything“, said Therese Mattingly. “When we go to the beach, we think about water safety. “But this never crossed my mind,” he said.

Agents of Police They went to the scene of the tragic accident shortly after 3:16 pm local time, where a crowd of people could be seen next to the hole in the currently cordoned off area, according to images collected by a helicopter. In a video recorded by a witness, several bathers are seen digging in the sand to reach the children and try to save them.

The crater was about 1.8 meters deep when it collapsed. Witnesses told the newspaper that the girl was completely buried under the boy South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

“Everybody tried their best and, unfortunately, it didn’t work in our favor,” he recalled. Jason Mattingly, father of minors. for Jasonhis daughter Sloan, “was like a ray of light. Anand, she was just living life. He would go out in the morning and get out of bed and raise his fist and say, ‘Always Be Happy'”.

Of Maddox, the couple said she and her sister were each other’s “best friends” and regretted that she had to “suddenly be an only child” after this tragedy,” Therese Mattingly said. “I think it’s taking a lot. “We have a lot of things to help him with that and to help us help him,” the mother said ABC News.

“I think it’s always going to be a little different now, but we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make sure he has the help he needs to go through this process and move forward with Sloan in his heart,” Mattingly added.

In response to the tragedy, the mayor Lauderdale by the sea, Chris VincentThanks to the family for working together on it Public Safety Campaign In his memory Sloan. This initiative seeks to share important information about the dangers of sand pits with coastal communities to prevent similar tragedies.