Les Jones: Raft Guide Dies on Ocoee River

July 12, 2005

East Tennessee > Raft Guide Dies on Ocoee River

Richard Stanley Guy of Sunburst Adventures in Benton, Tennessee, has died while guiding whitewater rafts on the Ocoee River. He was 23. Story here.

His father owns Sunburst. This has got to be painful for his family. Back in my college days I guided on the Ocoee for Hiwassee Outfitters in Reliance. It was a family operation, and both the sons guided rafts. I thought about them when I saw the story. Like a lot of other jobs, there's some risk involved in raft guiding, but it's also a fantastic, wholesome, healthy way to spend your summers. I'm sure that's what the family wanted for their son.

Posted by lesjones

Comments

Jody, who we went to the range with that day, was there doing one of the classes when it happened.

Posted by: SayUncle at July 12, 2005

Yikes. That's rough.

Posted by: Les Jones at July 12, 2005

He teaches river rafting (also an EMT) and was giving a class. They got word and he went to help. Said the guy got sucked under for over 2.5 hours.

Posted by: SayUncle at July 12, 2005

I worked with Stan on the river and went to school with him all of my life. It is just one of those "freak accidents" that could not have been prevented. Everyone did everything they could. He was a wonderful guy who was just doing what we do every day, our job! We miss him dearly, and our prayers are with Larry, Phillis, Cam, Meg, and the rest of his family and friends.

Posted by: Tera Burchfield at July 16, 2005

We're praying for you, Meg...Cam...Phyllis & Larry. We miss Stan very much. He lived his life well.

Posted by: Momma Jones at September 07, 2005