TOLEDO BEND, Texas – Heartbreak is echoing across Texas tonight as a mother grieves the loss of her son, who went kayaking and never came home.
Twenty-two-year-old Peyton Hughes was reported missing after a fishing trip with the Campbellsville University Kayak Fishing Team near the Louisiana–Texas state line at Toledo Bend Reservoir.
For days, his mother, Sara Hughes, prayed and held on to hope as rescue teams searched the massive lake. That hope was shattered this afternoon when officials from Cajun Navy 2016 confirmed the unthinkable: Peyton’s body had been recovered from the waters of Toledo Bend.
Through tears, Sara shared her pain publicly:
“Oh no… my son is gone. They recovered his body from under the lake. Please pray for us. My sweet boy has gone home to be with his father, who gave his life serving this country. I love you, Peyton Hughes! Oh my God, I am hurting so much.”
The Campbellsville University community is mourning alongside the Hughes family, remembering Peyton as a kind young man with a passion for the outdoors and a bright future ahead.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.