Campers and staff at Cohutta Springs Youth Camp gathered at the camp fire bowl Thursday morning, July 12, where Rob Lang, summer camp director, told them that 16-year old Bethany Kacak from Cleveland, Ga., had been pronounced dead at Erlanger Medical Center that morning.

Lang had informed campers and staff the previous morning that Bethany had been hospitalized after she fell while wakeboarding at Carter’s Lake in Georgia as a part ofCohutta Springs Youth Camp’s Wakeboard Teen Specialty Camp.

Three youth chaplains were on-hand at Cohutta Springs on Wednesday and Thursday and have been available to talk with any campers or staff who would like pastoral counsel.

Lang has suspended all boating activities that are a part of Cohutta Springs Youth Camp while an internal review is conducted of what occurred on Tuesday when Bethany fell. All other camp activities continue to take place.

Parents of other Wakeboard Teen Specialty Camp participants were notified of Bethany’s injury and given the option for their children to join the regular Teen II camp at Cohutta Springs or to return home.

Upon learning that Bethany had been pronounced dead, Lang said, “This is a sad day for Cohutta Springs Youth Camp. We are deeply saddened and grieving over the loss of our camper, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Kacak family. Yet, we believe that ultimately God is in control, and even though we don't understand everything that’s going on, God is good that he can make something good come from this.”

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