Bobby Bowden's Grandson Killed in Auto Accident

[around4ever 4,139]

Thought and Prayers for the Bowden family.

http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-78687959/

A grandson of retired Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden was one of two young men killed Thursday when their car plunged into a creek in Polk County.

Sheriff's investigators said the driver, Rafael Fernandes De Aguiar Valim, 25, and passenger Taylor Jeffrey "T.J." Bowden, 23, both of Winter Haven, were at a bar in Winter Haven on Christmas night before the 2 a.m. crash.

Accompanying them was Robert Lewis Edwards, 22, of Boca Raton, a back-seat passenger who survived the accident.

T.J. Bowden was a son of Jeff Bowden, 53, a former FSU assistant coach who works for the football program at the University of Akron, where his brother Terry is head coach.

"I can't express the grief I feel right now," Jeff Bowden said in a statement. "Please keep us in your prayers."

In his own statement, Bobby Bowden said, "Our whole family had just celebrated Christmas together in Panama City, as well as celebrated T.J.'s graduation from Florida State just three weeks ago. We will cherish those last memories together with T.J. forever."

T.J.'s death is the second tragedy to strike the Bowden family in less than a decade. Bowden Madden, 15, and his father, John Madden, died in a car accident in 2004 on Interstate 10 west of Tallahassee. Bowden Madden was the son of Bobby Bowden's daughter, Ginger Bowden Madden.

On Thursday, workers in a garbage truck noticed Valim's Mitsubishi upside-down and partly submerged off Country Club Road South, between Dundee and Lake Hamilton roads in Winter Haven, at about 7:45 a.m.

The front end was underwater, and the rear end was sticking out of the creek, estimated to be 5 feet deep.

The car apparently broke through a wood fence and barreled down an embankment into the water, deputies said.

Investigators think alcohol was a factor in the crash, but they won't know for sure until a blood-alcohol test on the driver comes back, sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Eleazer said. Deputies also think speeding was involved, she said.

Sheriff's divers tried to find survivors but initially found no signs of life after banging on the car shortly after arriving at 8:15 a.m., Eleazer said.

Then, about 11:45 a.m., deputies heard noises coming from the car, and a man inside said he was cold and needed help. Divers rescued Edwards, who was submerged up to his neck, deputies said. He was treated at Winter Haven Hospital for hypothermia and other injuries.

Deputies assume that Edwards was unconscious for several hours and had survived in an air pocket.

For their safety, divers initially decided against exploring the car in the murky water because there was no indication that anyone inside was alive, Eleazer said. They opted instead to pull the damaged Mitsubishi out to retrieve the bodies but changed course when they heard Edwards' voice.

Based on calls made to friends and relatives shortly before the crash, the men were driving from Indigo's, a bar with bowling, billiards and an arcade, to a friend's house when they veered off the roadway, the Sheriff's Office said. The bar is on U.S. Highway 17.

Bobby Bowden, 84, is a former FSU head coach who guided the Seminoles to success in the 1990s. The team won its first national title in 1993 and captured another championship in 1999. FSU also played in title games in 1998 and 2000.

A Birmingham, Ala., native, Bowden was hired as FSU coach in 1976 and retired in 2009.

With 377 career victories, he holds the NCAA record for wins by a Football Bowl Subdivision coach.

[stoic-one 1,543]

That's horrible, prayers to their family and friends.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

Such a tragedy.

[tiger88 934]

Oh my. Prayers to the Bowdens.

[WhiteTiger 2]

Prayers are out for the whole family. Very very tragic.

[Newman5th 0]

When I first started reading, I thought, no, this is old, happened years ago. But no. Again. That poor family.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Bowden family. It is such a tragedy to lose a young person. May God bring comfort and peace to them.

[WarTim 3,456]

ALWAYS liked and respected Bobby. Terrible tragedy. Prayers for the Family and friends............

[Ouchyfish 67]

Prayers to the family. Didn't they just lose an assistant coach too?

[WarEagle84 0]

I can't help when I hear about something like this happening to someone famous thinking about the hundreds or thousands of "unknown" families who are going through similar circumstances. I lifted up the Bowden family in prayer, and also asked a special grace for the other families I will never know about. I welcome others to join me in this practice.

[war eagle6 0]

I can't help when I hear about something like this happening to someone famous thinking about the hundreds or thousands of "unknown" families who are going through similar circumstances. I lifted up the Bowden family in prayer, and also asked a special grace for the other families I will never know about. I welcome others to join me in this practice.

Amen!!

[ToraGirl 5,498]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Bowden family. It is such a tragedy to lose a young person. May God bring comfort and peace to them.

Beautifully said...my heart just breaks for them.

[ToraGirl 5,498]

I can't help when I hear about something like this happening to someone famous thinking about the hundreds or thousands of "unknown" families who are going through similar circumstances. I lifted up the Bowden family in prayer, and also asked a special grace for the other families I will never know about. I welcome others to join me in this practice.

Amen!!

Most definitely. Praise God that not one tragedy misses our Heavenly Father's attention...one more thing we've got upside down here on earth. Great post, perspective.

[NoALtiger 3,850]

Terrible terrible ordeal. Prayers to all involved. On a side note, if I were the surviving persons family, after praising our Lord he was alive, I'd be pretty ticked he was trapped an addition 3 hours while the authorities were debating what to do and failing to absolutely confirm there were no living persons in the vehicle. No matter what, you have to undeniably confirm the situation. Makes a bad situation even worse.

[RFpipe 2]

The OC/Assistant Head Coach on Terry's staff at Akron was killed in a car accident on Monday in Oxford, MS. Alan "Tank" Arrington was his name, and he was a close friend of mine.

Terry was at the visitation/funeral for Tank yesterday and today, and was headed to Florida for TJ's as soon as the funeral in Oxford was over.

Bobby will be in Pasadena ahead of the championship game to present an award, but back home in Florida to watch the game according to Terry.

Prayers to the family. Didn't they just lose an assistant coach too?

[doc4aday 1,887]

This is so sad. I will keep the family in my prayers.