Ella Riley Adler, a ballerina from Miami, was water skiing with her friends when she was tragically died. Her death has robber the world of her “energy and spirit.”
Keep reading to learn more about this tragic incident in southern Florida.
Ella Riley Adler, a 15-year-old student at Ransom Everglades School, is described as having “a precocious discipline and focus that belied her age.”
The ballet dancer – who appeared in over 100 productions of The Nutcracker with the Miami City Ballet – “emanated love and joy…When she walked into a room, everyone was drawn to her.”
And, according to her obituary, she “celebrated life,” until May 11, 2024, when, while celebrating a friend’s birthday in Key Biscayne’s Nixon Beach. That was the day a tragic incident claimed her young life.
At about 4:30 p.m., Ella, a ballerina who “loved to dance,” was being towed by a boat after water skiing when a speeding boat struck her and sped away from the scene. This horrible incident of a hit-and-run in the water reveals how people might even do something this horrific when not on land.
“She was wearing a life vest, as well as the ski boards on her feet,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) spokesperson George Reynaud told Miami’s WSVN.
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Ella was left bobbing in the water while emergency officials rushed to help.
“A lot of blood in the water,” said a first responder in radio transmissions of the crystal-clear waters changing color when Ella was killed.
‘Loved by all’
On Monday at her funeral, family and friends remembered the ambitious young dancer, whose “magnetism radiated on the stage, where she belonged and thrived.”
According to the Miami Herald, hundreds of mourners packed the pews at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach to honor the girl, who dreamed one day of becoming president of the United States.
A teary-eyed friend, struggling to hold back her emotions, spoke to attendees and said, “Ella, you had so many qualities to admire.” She adds, “You were passionate about your faith. You loved your family. You loved your friends. And you were loved by all. I miss you so much, and I will honor your memory by never forgetting the special things about you.”
‘Best parts of both of us’
Perhaps the most heartbreaking was a letter read by Ella’s aunt. In the letter were words from Ella’s younger sister Adalynn: “I will always have you in my heart,” she wrote of her big sister.
Also penned in that letter were sentiments shared by the girl’s father, Matthew Adler.
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“Mommy and I have said for years that you truly got the best parts of both of us,” he said in the letter that was read at the memorial service. “…You were taken from us way to soon, and the world has been robbed of all the things you could have achieved. But you will always be here with us, and your friends and family will carry your energy and spirit forever.”
Rabbi Jonathan Berkun, who led the service, called Ella “a star, a force of nature.”
He said, “You were taken from us way to soon, and the world has been robbed of all the things you could have achieved. But you will always be here with us and your friends and family will carry your energy and spirit forever.”
“We must remember her as she would have wanted to be remembered, as a star, a force of nature, a glowing and gorgeous young woman who was loved, admired, cherishes and adored by more people than anyone her age would normally be,” the rabbi continued.
FWC officers are still searching for the operator of the boat, described having
multiple white outboard motors and may have blue or dark blue bottom paint.”
Also, a total reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information about the vessel and boater involved in the crash, including $5,000 from Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
