An Indiana father is speaking out after his 16-year-old died during ice fishing. He's warning others about the hidden dangers associated with the sport.
According to an online fundraiser, Steve Ford said his son Joe passed away last January while ice fishing. Rather than fall into the icy pond, he passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning.
"Upon further investigation while fishing the night before as it was very cold, he used a propane heater to keep warm, not thinking of the danger involved, the carbon monoxide that it produced took my son's life," Steve wrote.
Now a year later, Steve is trying to raise awareness and keep his son's memory alive. He spoke out about that fatal ice fishing trip.
"Just finding out that your child's gone...it makes you sick to your stomach," Ford told the outlet. "You think about all these things that could happen, you know, he was 16, did he get in a car accident?...the last thing on my mind was carbon monoxide."
Hidden Ice Fishing Dangers
"As a parent, you go through all of those steps before you even know the details," Ford told WTHR. "But it's still not enough to prepare you for the truth when that finally arrives. It just, it just takes a piece of you, just removes that, and it's gone."
Ford remembers him for his love of the outdoors, trucks, and ice fishing.
"He treated his GMC truck as his baby and took great care of it. He loved music and dabbled in playing guitar. He had dreams of a career in guide services and was taking welding classes at the Kokomo Area Career Center. Joe loved being a brother to his siblings and will be remembered for being the most kind-hearted boy and having an infectious smile," the tribute continued.
"If one person is saved or changes their mindset about when they're hunting or when they're fishing or when they're working in their shop, about their heat source and how the ventilation is able to save one person, it'd be worth it all," he said, WRTV reported.
