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Woman dies while paddleboarding on Okanagan Lake

A Go Fund Me has been created for the late Christine Sebesta
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Christine Sebesta passed away on Sept. 4, 2020. (Contributed)

A Go Fund Me has been created for the mother of two that tragically passed away at Bear Creek while paddleboarding on Okanagan Lake on Friday.

According to the Go Fund Me page, Christine Sebesta and her two friends ventured out in search of the sun and calm waters of Okanagan Lake on Sept. 4.

About an hour into their paddle Christine had fallen off her board. She expressed that she did not feel right and Christine proceeded to flip and attempt to remount her board, however, this time she slipped down under the water and emerged unconscious.

Her friends then immediately contacted emergency services and with the help of her friends and the community they were able to mount her on her board near shore and begin CPR. However, Rocky terrain and log booms prevented Christine from being transferred from the boat to an ambulance.

After well over 45 min of first aid and attempts at resuscitation on the boat, she was pronounced deceased.

Sebesta leaves behind a husband and two special needs children of ages 15 and 16 years old. Her son Michael (15) overcame his learning challenges and disabilities to become the West Kelowna Male Ambassador 2019/ 2020 representing his city and community throughout BC. Her son Brayden (17), is a Special Olympics swimming hopeful in Berlin 2022.

“Christine devoted her life to educating her kids and raising respectful loving adults,” said her friends Alisa Dafoe and Cathy Corbett on the Go Fund Me page.

“She was the and proudest Mama Bear you ever have seen.”

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With no life or mortgage insurance for Christine, this GoFund me will help the following:

· Funeral Costs and emergency travel,

· Help Ian home school the children,

· Help alive the financial burden, while transitioning into a local job market(eventually),

· Provide emotional and phycological counselling and support for their family,

· Most importantly the kids need their father on a full-time basis and Ian should not have to worry about feeding his family and losing the home and life they worked so hard to build.

To contributed to the fundraising goal of $50,000, click here.

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Daniel Taylor
Reporter, Kelowna Capital News
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