“She will be missed by all who had the great privilege of knowing her,” Johanna Gregory’s mom said after her death

NEED TO KNOW

• A children’s occupational therapist, 26, was killed, and four of her friends were injured, after they collided with another boat on Lake Michigan on Thursday, June 25
• “While the circumstances are under investigation, this serves as a sobering reminder that safety on the water begins long before leaving the dock,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. James Alling said
• Following her tragic death, Johanna Gregory’s mom remembered her as an “innately empathetic” person who “connected easily with people”

A 26-year-old woman was killed, and four others were injured, after two boats collided on Lake Michigan. 

On Thursday, June 25, first responders were summoned to Lake Michigan, near Monroe Harbor, just before midnight local time after receiving reports of a boat collision with multiple injuries, the Illinois Conservation Police shared in a press release. 

Upon arrival, authorities found that a 33-foot cabin cruiser motorboat carrying nine passengers had struck a smaller vessel carrying five passengers. 

In a press conference held by the Chicago Fire Department, Deputy District Chief Jason Lach said two people ended up in the water before bystanders quickly helped remove them from the lake. 

"Two vessels were coming back into port," Lach said, per ABC7. "We are not exactly sure if they were both coming back in here to Monroe Harbor or Burnham Harbor. One vessel overtook another one, and there was a collision that happened."

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All five passengers aboard the smaller boat, four of whom were in critical condition, were rushed to Stroger Hospital and Northwestern Hospital for treatment. Passengers on the larger vessel declined medical attention at the scene. 

"While the circumstances are under investigation, this serves as a sobering reminder that safety on the water begins long before leaving the dock," Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. James Alling said in a statement obtained by ABC7. "Boaters should always wear a life jacket, maintain a proper lookout, operate at a safe speed, and never operate a vessel under the influence. Taking these simple precautions can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy."

The morning after the crash, Johanna Gregory, one of the passengers who was on the smaller boat, died from her injuries, the Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed to the Chicago Tribune, ABC7 and NBC Chicago. 

Following Gregory's death, Meghan Morphy, director of athletics at Gannon University, paid tribute to the former college volleyball star on social media. 

“The Gannon Athletics family is deeply saddened by the passing of former volleyball student-athlete Johanna Gregory, ‘21, ‘22,” she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the late athlete. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Johanna's family, friends, former teammates, coaches, and all who knew and loved her. She will always be remembered as a member of the Golden Knight family.”

Gregory's mother, Heidi Schult Gregory, remembered her daughter as an “innately empathetic” person who “connected easily with people.”

“She was the very best of us,” she told the Chicago Tribune, noting that her daughter worked as a pediatric occupational therapist and had a wide circle of friends in Chicago. “She made a difference each and every day in the lives of those little kids. She will be missed by all who had the great privilege of knowing her.”

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