Two 14-year-old boys,George Watts and Derrick Hubbard, tragically died after a hand-dug tunnel collapsed in Citrus County, Florida. According to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, the boys were best friends and students at Inverness Middle School. They were digging in "sugar sand," a fine, soft sand found in Florida, when the tunnel collapsed, burying them for over an hour.

Emergency services were alerted around 12:44 p.m. local time. Rescuers arrived and located the boys using a cellphone ping. They managed to pull the boys from the sand by 1:15 p.m. and began CPR immediately. Derrick Hubbard was pronounced dead on Sunday (January 11), while George Watts was initially in critical condition but died on Tuesday at 4:25 a.m.

The community is in mourning, with many remembering the boys as inseparable and full of life. Their families described them as "old school, old souls" who loved outdoor adventures. The boys were known for their leadership qualities, having recently won a flag football league championship.

Counselors and support staff have been made available at Inverness Middle School to help students cope with the loss. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the families with funeral expenses, and nearly $36,000 has been raised so far.

Jack Kratoville