Emily Gorman Obituary, Harrisburg SD, Young Girl Dies In Boating Accident In Lake Madison

Emily Gorman Obituary, Death – As many families return to work after taking time off for the holidays, one family is attempting to make sense of tragedy. Emily Gorman, an eighth-grader from Harrisburg, was killed in a horrible accident while doing what she loved: spending time on Lake Madison. Emily arrived in our lives during a snowfall in Sioux Falls.

“She was born with just the most beautiful, thick head of dark hair,” Emily’s mother, Stacy Gorman, said. For many years, her blanket was her bedtime friend. Those who knew her best referred to her as Emmy. Her enthusiasm grew alongside her. “She inquired as to the quantity of freckles she have. I responded no, I didn’t know when she told me she had 107.Stacy added, “She and one of her friends counted them.”

She hoped for the expansion of her family. Not with more children, but with extra pugs. “She sometimes even created like a PowerPoint presentation, trying to convince us of the next animal that we should get,” Stacy explained. Her most recent find was volleyball. “This summer, she was doing private lessons and going to camp,” Stacy explained. Her father, Eric, noted how much she enjoyed life and caught glimpses of her social life. “She was always an excellent listener.” “She was always eager to learn the next thing,” Eric said about his wife. “I could hear her giggling from her room, and she was only on the phone with her friends.”

Emmy was friendly and had recently been selected for the Harrisburg North Middle School welcome team. She liked root beer, quesadillas, and a Caramel Brulé. “And she was so proud and happy to have been chosen to do that to help those sixth-graders transition into middle school,” Eric explained. Her last day was spent at Lake Madison, a family favorite where she has spent summers with her family since 2016. “Emmy had a passion for boating,” Stacy said. “She absolutely adored it; she was a huge tubing fan.”

The family is encouraged by the support of other family members, friends, and their church. “I couldn’t be more proud to be her dad,” Eric continued. “I’m just so unbelievably proud to be Emmy’s mom,” Stacy added. “She gave me some of the best years of my life.” The next week, services will be held at Central Church. As a result of Emmy’s death, students in Harrisburg schools are undergoing treatment. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the family with medical bills, funeral expenses, and missed income as they grieve together.