The family of a 6-year-old girl who died in a boating accident at Lake Pleasant is now sharing their story to help others going through a loss of their own.
“My daughter’s name is Sunni, and that’s spelled S-U-N-N-I. She just had this bright, sunny, beautiful personality,” said Blake Wasden, Sunni’s father.
That energy is still felt in her Peoria home, which continues to give her family the strength to begin a journey of hope and healing, not just for themselves but to share with others.
“In the middle of the night, at about one o’clock in the morning, I was woken up and I had an impression or a thought from God that I needed to start a podcast,” said Blake.
That was just three days after Sunni’s death.
He told ABC15 that on July 28, 2023, they were on their boat at Lake Pleasant enjoying the water.
“I still can’t tell you what exactly happened, and coming from somebody that was a boat enthusiast, someone that has put thousands of hours on boats,” said Blake.
Blake said he and his wife were always cautious, even making rules on the boat in hopes of preventing a situation like this. Tragically, Sunni was struck by the propeller.