Father-daughter kayakers remembered

A year ago Sunday, a father and his young daughter drowned during a kayaking expedition on the Sandusky Bay. The bodies of Jonathan Francis, 30, and Viola Francis, 12, were found weeks later and miles apart.But they died together, doing something they loved.Jonathan had sole custody of Viola, and for five years it had been just the two of them."I miss them. I remember them every day," said Gwen Gwinner, Jonathan's mother. "(Viola) was his life. They were always together"Jonathan and Viola received two kayaks as Christmas gifts from Sheila McClain.The father-and-daughter team were anxious to try out their new gifts, so on April 6, 2013, they went out onto the Sandusky Bay. They were last seen at about 5 p.m. that day.No one knows what happened, but McClain believes Viola was so lightweight the kayak easily capsized in the rough waters. She believes Jonathan jumped into the water to save his daughter. Both would have been overcome by the 38-degree temperature; they were not wearing life jackets, nor were they wearing drysuits designed for cold-water survival.Erie MetroParks offers kayaking safety classAs the evening wore on, McClain and some friends walked down to the bay. There was no sign of the father and daughter. McClain reported them missing at about 5 a.m. April 7, launching a massive search involving Coast Guard vessels and emergency crews."The later it got, I was thinking they had to have pulled up somewhere maybe on island, maybe on Bayview" McClain said.Family, friends and community members would spend the next 20 days searching for them.McClain couldn't allow herself to think the worst."It was very hard when it first happened," she said. "I do miss them dearly"Their bodies were found April 26. The body of Viola was found first, floating in open water between Huron and Vermilion. Jonathan's body was found about 40 minutes later, on break wall rocks off Cedar Point.A year later, the family has no formal plans for a memorial. The truth is, the memorial has been perpetual — remembering, every day, by telling stories about Jonathan and Viola and their time together.The last time the entire family had gathered was Christmas 2012."We were just being silly," Gwinner said.Her faith, and ample support from family and friends, helped her through those 20 days of uncertainty last year.This year, once again, her faith, her family and her friends will help her through Sunday."I know they crossed over that river and are waiting together on the other side," Gwinner said.