A Louisiana father with a “heart of gold” was killed when he was accidentally shot during a hunting trip.
Garret Verdun, 45, died after a hunting rifle accidentally discharged and struck him in the head while he was on a hunting trip with a friend around 4 p.m. on Nov. 29 in Lafourche Parish, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Verdun’s hunting partner told officials that they were heading to their hunting spots and had just crossed a cattle guard when Verdun passed him the rifle, which unexpectedly discharged and hit him with a .308-caliber round.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
The LDWF is assisting the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office with the ongoing investigation, and all involved are cooperating with detectives, police said.
In the wake of Verdun’s death, his grief-stricken daughter, Chloe Verdun, shared a touching tribute to her “role model.”
“I wish more than anything I wouldn’t be making this post, but I’m so blessed to have shared 19 years with you. I love you forever, Dad, and always will,” the 19-year-old wrote on Facebook.
“You will forever be my role model and favorite person. Until we meet again — forever will be your love bug.”
The father of two is remembered by loved ones as having a “heart of gold” and as someone who was always “ready to lend a hand or offer a comforting word,” according to an online obituary.
“His life, though too short, was rich with deep relationships and a boundless capacity for love. He found his greatest joy in spending time with his two children, Chloe and Ethan, and sharing laughter with his family and fiancée Tiffany Hunter, along with many family and friends,” the obituary stated.
“Garret was an avid outdoorsman at heart. He was gifted with the hands of a craftsman and enjoyed carpentry and building things. Above all else, his family was his passion, always putting them first. He will be missed by all who knew him. He had a contagious smile that will be missed beyond words.”
His family has asked that anyone considering sending flowers instead donate in his name to Wounded Warrior Project, the nonprofit that supports injured and ill military veterans.
Verdun is survived by his fiancée, daughter, and son, Ethan Verdun.
Following his death, LDWF issued a reminder urging hunters to travel to and from their hunting sites with unloaded firearms and the safety on.
The post Louisiana father with ‘heart of gold’ accidentally killed on hunting trip: ‘He had a contagious smile’ appeared first on New York Post.
