A late-night boat ride on Lake Michigan turned deadly after two vessels collided near Chicago, leaving a 26-year-old woman dead and four others injured.
The crash happened just before midnight on Thursday, June 25, near Monroe Harbor, according to Illinois Conservation Police. First responders rushed to the lake after receiving reports of a boat collision with multiple injuries.
When authorities arrived, they found that a 33-foot cabin cruiser carrying nine people had struck a smaller boat with five people on board.
Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Jason Lach said two people ended up in the water after the crash. Bystanders quickly helped pull them from the lake before emergency crews arrived.
“Two vessels were coming back into port,” Lach said, according to ABC7. “We are not exactly sure if they were both coming back in here to Monroe Harbor or Burnham Harbor. One vessel overtook another one, and there was a collision that happened.”
All five people aboard the smaller boat were taken to Stroger Hospital and Northwestern Hospital. Four of them were initially listed in critical condition. The people on the larger boat declined medical treatment at the scene.
The next morning, officials confirmed that Johanna Gregory, one of the passengers on the smaller boat, had died from her injuries. The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed her death to multiple local outlets.
Gregory’s death has left her loved ones and former teammates devastated.
Meghan Morphy, director of athletics at Gannon University, honored Gregory, a former college volleyball player, in a social media tribute.
“The Gannon Athletics family is deeply saddened by the passing of former volleyball student-athlete Johanna Gregory, ‘21, ‘22,” Morphy wrote. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Johanna’s family, friends, former teammates, coaches, and all who knew and loved her. She will always be remembered as a member of the Golden Knight family.”
Gregory’s mother, Heidi Schult Gregory, remembered her daughter as someone who was deeply caring and easy to love.
“She was the very best of us,” she told the Chicago Tribune.
Her mother said Gregory worked as a pediatric occupational therapist and had a large circle of friends in Chicago. She described her daughter as “innately empathetic” and said she had a gift for connecting with people.
“She made a difference each and every day in the lives of those little kids,” her mother said. “She will be missed by all who had the great privilege of knowing her.”
The deadly crash remains under investigation.
Officials said the tragedy is a painful reminder of how quickly a night on the water can turn dangerous.
“While the circumstances are under investigation, this serves as a sobering reminder that safety on the water begins long before leaving the dock,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. James Alling said in a statement obtained by ABC7. “Boaters should always wear a life jacket, maintain a proper lookout, operate at a safe speed, and never operate a vessel under the influence. Taking these simple precautions can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy.”
