By JADE RUSSELL 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SIX months after her father drowned at Dean’s Blue Hole, Nakita Headley still looks at his photos, searching for comfort in his familiar smile, knowing his body remains unrecovered 600 feet below the ocean’s surface.

Douglas McHardy, 50, drowned at the popular Long Island site in August 2024, just hours after attending his mother-in-law’s funeral. His family had gone to a local restaurant before heading to the beach near Dean’s Blue Hole, unaware that tragedy was about to strike. Despite their prayers for a miracle, his body was discovered days later by an unmanned submersible drone, too deep to be recovered.

Mrs Headley said life without her father has been difficult, but she and her siblings have leaned on each other for strength while supporting their

grieving mother, who was married to Mr McHardy for 26 years. To keep his memory alive, she surrounds herself with his photos, holding onto the little things that make him feel close.

“I have one that’s sitting right on my dining table that I look at when I eat,” she said. “I know it sounds weird, but it’s comforting.”

Mrs Headley said she often looks at old photos, videos, and items that remind her of her father, finding comfort in having his pictures around her home.

“I have one that’s sitting right on my dining table that I look at when I eat,” she said. “I know it sounds weird, but it’s comforting.”

“I just wore his shirt the other day.”

Though the family couldn’t hold a traditional funeral, they honored Mr McHardy with a memorial at Junky Landing, Deadman’s Cay. Later, they visited Dean’s Blue Hole, where they released white and blue roses into the water. A plaque was also placed near the site, featuring images of the things he loved most — his family, his tractor, and his music.

“He never wanted the typical funeral where you bury the casket. He always was someone who wanted to be cremated and spread his ashes in the ocean. In a way, I mean, he kind of got his wishes,” she said emotionally.

Mrs Headley said she holds no resentment towards Dean’s Blue Hole but believes there should be more safety guidelines for swimmers. Despite her pain, she takes comfort in knowing that the ocean — one of her father’s greatest loves — is now his final resting place.

Asked about her grieving process, she said she has both good and bad days but constantly thinks about her father. Some days, she shares stories of his lively personality or posts pictures of him online to keep his memory alive.