A birthday celebration on Lake Tahoe ended in heartbreak when a sudden storm capsized a boat, killing eight of the ten people onboard. Among the victims were 37-year-old DoorDash executive Joshua Antony Pickles and his parents, Paula and Terry. They had been celebrating with friends near D.L. Bliss State Park on a 27-foot Chris-Craft vessel.

The storm struck fast, bringing 10-foot waves and 30-knot winds. Emergency crews rushed to respond, and after two days of search efforts, all bodies were recovered. Two passengers survived, though their condition remains unknown.

Pickles’ wife, who had stayed ashore with their baby daughter, shared her devastation. DoorDash honored him as a warm, inspiring leader. Others remembered, like Timothy O’Leary and Stephen Lindsay, were celebrated for their kindness and devotion.

The tragedy, one of the worst boating accidents Lake Tahoe has seen, comes just weeks after another fatal water accident in Texas. Ava Moore, an 18-year-old Air Force Prep student, was killed by a hit-and-run jet ski while kayaking.

Both incidents are painful reminders of how quickly joy on the water can turn to sorrow.