A tragic incident occurred during a family holiday in the Florida Keys when a mother of two, Judy Kay Zagorski, 57, from Michigan, lost her life in a bizarre accident involving a giant stingray. The event took place near Marathon on Vaca Key’s Atlantic Ocean side in the spring of 2008.
Judy was seated at the front of a boat traveling at approximately 25 mph when a 75-pound spotted eagle ray, boasting a wingspan of around six feet, unexpectedly leaped out of the sea, striking her in the face and causing her to fall backward onto the boat’s floor. Despite the absence of puncture wounds from the ray’s venomous barbs, the impact of the collision proved fatal.
The medical examiner of Monroe County confirmed that Judy succumbed instantly to blunt force trauma, sustaining multiple skull fractures and direct brain injury. Her sister, Joyce Ann Miller, who was standing next to her, escaped unscathed. Judy’s father, Virgil Bouck, was at the helm of the boat at the time, with her mother, Verneta, also present, as the family enjoyed their spring vacation together.
Following the tragedy, the ray was found dead on the boat. Wildlife officials classified the incident as a rare occurrence, as spotted eagle rays are not typically aggressive and only deploy their venomous tail barbs in self-defense. While these rays are known to leap out of the water to evade predators or rid themselves of parasites, interactions with humans are extremely uncommon.
Spotted eagle rays can reach weights of up to 500 pounds with wingspans extending to ten feet. They are protected under Florida law and are commonly seen swimming peacefully near the ocean’s surface.
The untimely passing of Judy has stunned both locals and visitors. Describing her as an exceptional sister, her brother, Dan Bouck, mentioned her voluntary work with terminally ill patients and her management of Beadle Bay Marina and Campground alongside her late husband, Steve Zagorski.
Experts highlight the rarity of such accidents, noting that while there have been isolated incidents of rays landing in boats, fatalities are seldom reported. This case has drawn parallels to other well-known accidents involving marine animals, such as the tragic death of Steve Irwin in Australia.