On November 9th 2021, I lost my son Wayne A. Grant Jr. to Stillhouse lake at Union Grove Park in Salado, Texas.  My son, just like others may have been was an excellent swimmer and fisherman. He was 43 years old at the time of his death. He became a victim while fishing on Stillhouse lake at Union Grove Park because his kayak flipped over. 

He caught a 10 pound bass early that morning and brought it back to shore to share pictures with his wife via "facetime" while outside of their trailer located at the park. He decided to take the kayak back out to see if he could catch more fish. This time while out on the water he "facetimed" his wife again and noticed that the kayak had drifted further out than he expected and that the wind had picked up so he decided to come back to shore, but during this conversation he dropped his phone, he reached down to get it and accidentally flipped the kayak which placed him face down in the water.

While upside down under water I would imagine being the excellent swimmer that he was...he pushed out of the kayak and ejected himself straight down and into the water. Unfortunately, he ejected straight down into what is known as "Hydrilla" an underwater weed-like plant that is definitely NOT native to the state of Texas according to Game Warden Chris Sanchez who headed the recovery for his body and that it grows according to the depth of the water (15 feet at the location).

Game Warden Chris Sanchez stated that his body was entangled in this "Hydrilla" and it would have been impossible for him to free himself based on the activity of the Hydrilla moving around his body and pulling him further underwater because of the increase in wind speed on the surface at the time.

It took 5 days for my sons body to be recovered from that lake because they would not send diver's into the water because of the "Hydrilla" where it would cause the divers to become stuck as well. So we waited and waited...

Union Grove Park in Salado, Texas "DOES NOT" have any warning signs posted as to the dangers that this "Hydrilla" poses if an individual was to go swimming or diving in this area and I am sure other State Parks are the same way...NO SIGNAGE.

I want those responsible for maintaining these parks to install signage at all the parks within the state as well as put up plaques for the many victims that have "Accidentally Drowned" at the various locations around Texas beginning with my son's plaque being displayed at "Union Grove Park" in Salado Texas.

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