Mourning for Alabama mother after her husband dies and her 7-year-old son is presumed dead after a boating accident

An Alabama mother is mourning the loss of her husband and likely her son, who both went shrimping on a boat and never returned.

Michael Slezak, 40, his 7-year-old son Hunter and avid fisherman Sam Wooley, 69, were aboard a 22-foot vessel that launched from Dauphin Island, a small piece of land off the coast of Alabama.

Megan Slezak, Michael’s wife and mother of his five children, including Hunter, last had contact with the boat at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Apparently the group wanted to stay another hour because they caught so many shrimp.

According to the US Coast Guard, the three people and their boat “Marty Ann” went missing around 7 p.m. that night.

On Saturday afternoon, the Coast Guard found the wreckage of the boat nine miles south of Dauphin Island. This came after they searched by air and sea for a combined 65.2 hours and searched more than 2,042 square miles, roughly the size of Delaware.

Search workers also found the bodies of Michael and Sam at this location. Hunter has not been found but is presumed dead.

After the heartbreaking discovery was made, the Coast Guard announced Sunday that it was suspending the search for Hunter.

“We are deeply saddened and extend our sincerest condolences to the families, friends and communities affected by this heartbreaking and tragic incident,” said Capt. Robert Tucker, Coast Guard deputy commander, Mobile Sector.

Michael Slezak, 40, was found dead in the wreckage of the 22-foot Marty Ann after going shrimping

Hunter Slezak, 7, is Michael’s son. He was on the boat with his father and is presumed dead, but his body has not been found by the U.S. Coast Guard

Megan Slezak is pictured with her son Hunter. Megan wasn’t on the boat ride

“Ceasing an active search for a missing child is an extremely difficult decision and is only made after the greatest efforts have been made. “We would like to thank all the search and rescue teams who have worked with determination around the clock to a different result.”

Before the search was called off, Megan took to Facebook on Sunday and pleaded with anyone with boats or planes to help find her son.

“I just need the closure of being able to bury his body.” “I didn’t think my heart could break any more, but at least being able to find my son’s body is so incredibly painful,” Megan wrote. “This is THE WORST pain ever.”

Her sister Adrienne Magill started a GoFundMe for the grieving family to cover funeral costs and other expenses. Megan has four other daughters.

Magill revealed that Michael and Megan lived on a farm and planned to “live a long and fulfilling life.”

The fundraiser had raised more than $33,000 toward its $250,000 goal as of late Monday afternoon.

Michael is also being mourned by students and faculty at Semmes Middle School in Mobile County, Alabama, where he was a teacher and baseball coach.

“Coach Michael Slezak was a beloved teacher and coach who touched so many lives with kindness, wisdom and dedication,” the school wrote on social media.

Michael is pictured in a Semmes Middle School baseball uniform. He was a coach and teacher at the school in Alabama

Michael is pictured with his wife, four daughters and son Hunter

Sam Wooley, 69, was the third victim aboard the capsized ship. He was an avid fisherman and shrimper

“Coach Slezak inspired our students to be better students, better athletes and better people. With every lesson taught, every drill performed and every word of encouragement, he left an impact on our community.”

Jared Robinson, a childhood friend of Michael’s, was one of the people who responded to his wife’s pleas for help finding their loved ones, WKRG reported.

“I know he would have done the same for me,” Robinson said. “Michael is as good as they come.” He would do anything for you, had no enemies, always had a smile on his face. Always a good friend.’

Robinson called his friend Blake Buxton, who has a boat, and they went looking.

“We got two numbers from the Coast Guard. “So we started about eight miles south and then ran another ten miles beyond that,” Buxton said. “So we just started doing the grid search from there and then on the way back we went back past Pelican Bay and back over the piers.”