A romantic sunrise on a California beach turned into a nightmare for a Texas couple when a giant wave dragged them into the Pacific Ocean. Only the husband made it out alive, and he has now told the heartbreaking story of the last words his wife said to him.
Kaylee Molina, 30, of El Paso, Texas, and her husband Roberto Clemente, 32, were on vacation in Ventura County, close to Malibu. They had stopped at Sycamore Cove Beach the day before and decided to return early on Wednesday morning to see the sun come up over the ocean.
A wave out of nowhere
The couple sat together near the water’s edge as the light grew. After a while they noticed the waves getting stronger and closer. They got up and turned away from the sea, hoping to put some distance between themselves and the surf.
It was too late. A sudden, powerful surge of water caught them both and pulled them into the ocean. Clemente, speaking through a severe cough caused by the seawater he had swallowed, described the moment in an emotional interview with the California Post.
"She tells me, ‘hold my hand, hold my hand,’ so we’re trying to hold each other’s hands, and before I know it, we’re separated," Clemente said, crying.
Fighting to save her
According to Clemente, his wife could not swim. Both of them were pushed under the surface, and he struggled hard against the heavy surf until he got free. When he looked around, he saw Molina lying face down in the water.
"I tried giving her CPR, but I was so exhausted already at that point, I couldn’t do it," he said. Panicking, he shouted for help and called 911.
First responders arrived by 11:40 a.m. and worked to save Molina, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Clemente said he is filled with regret. "I wish I would have been smarter, not gotten into the water, or just not gone to the beach," he told the newspaper.
A message to family and friends
In a Facebook post, Clemente wrote that his heart was "completely shattered." He described Molina as his wife, his best friend and his partner of 10 years. The trip, he said, was meant to be a beautiful time together.
Her body remains in California, and the families now face unexpected costs for bringing her home and giving her the farewell they feel she deserves. Molina’s relatives created a GoFundMe to help with transport, funeral arrangements and memorial expenses. Clemente shared the link and asked for help, saying that even a small donation would mean more than words could express. For those who could not give, he said, sharing the fundraiser would mean just as much.
He ended his message with thanks to everyone who had reached out and kept both families in their thoughts. "Rest peacefully, my love. I will carry you in my heart forever," he wrote.
For now, Clemente is grieving in the aftermath of the accident, while the families work to bring Molina home to Texas.
Image credit: GoFundMe
Source: Daily Express US
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