'You could see the fear in his eyes' | Boating accident survivor urges caution near dams

LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — Every Sunday for the past four years, Michael Hopkins and his stepdad Dave Morris have gone fishing near Ft. Loudoun Dam.

That was the case on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

"Everything was going great, we were having the best day we'd ever had on the lake out there," said Hopkins.

The pair reeled in the biggest fish they'd ever caught together that day.

It's also the last day they spent together.

Hopkins and Morris were fishing near the dam, which was spilling that morning.

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They were baiting their lines and didn't notice where their boat was headed.

"Once I realized I was going toward the dam instead of getting pushed back down river like we should have been, I tried to start the boat and it wouldn't start," said Hopkins. "Next thing I know it was like Niagara Falls coming down into the damn boat. The boat was under in seconds."

The two jumped from the boat at separate times. They were wearing life vests and floating in the water.

They made eye contact one last time.

"You could see the fear in his eyes," said Hopkins."Next thing I know I got sucked under and that was the last time I saw him."

Hopkins said he thought he was going to drown, and that it was the scariest moment of his life.

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He was rescued by nearby boaters.

Morris' body was found later that day.

"I don't want anyone to have to go through that, it was terrible," said Hopkins.

TVA said Ft. Loudoun Dam was spilling about 250,000 gallons of water per second that morning.

Death from the dam's strong waters is a tragedy that happens all too often.

People also died when boats capsized near this dam in 2018 and 2019.

RELATED: TWRA: Identities now known in boating accident near Ft. Loudoun Dam

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"We recommend that people don't get within about 100 yards of that because again the water conditions can get very. very dicey as you get closer to the dam," said Jim Hopson with TVA.

Hopkins said he will fish there again, but safely.

He promised Morris he'd go back and catch the big fish they lost that day.

"If they're spilling don't go up there stay back past the signs," he said. "Don't do it, it's not worth it."

Morris' family set up a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral costs.