Community and officials rally around Beaufort’s Keyserlings after boating accident
After a boat carrying Billy Keyserling, the former Beaufort mayor, and his brother, Paul, capsized on the Beaufort River Saturday afternoon, there was an outpouring of support from community members.
Billy Keyserling was hospitalized after the accident.
Bystanders rescued the Keyserlings from the water after their boat capsized between Beaufort Memorial Hospital and the Beaufort Yacht Club, according to City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department Chief Ross Vezin on Sunday.
As of Sunday afternoon, Vezin and Mayor Stephen Murray said Billy Keyserling was severely injured but was “recovering well.”
In the past two days since the accident happened, support from locals, close friends and even a national nonprofit have circulated online. Many of the comments wished the brothers well, commended the rescuers and sent thoughts for speedy recoveries.
One Facebook post by A Lanny Kraus, who wrote that Billy Keyserling is a “dear friend,” hoped for a “quick and full recovery.”
“Praying for you my friend,” Timothy Garvin III wrote on a Facebook page called Unified Gents.
Garvin’s post was met with a handful of comments sending prayers, positive vibes and healing thoughts to the Keyserlings.
Lowcountry Spotlight, a local travel site, posted: “Prayers for Billy Keyserling” on Facebook. That post was met with a hundred reactions and a plethora of comments sending well wishes.
On Sunday, Murray, the current mayor, said he was thankful for the “good Samaritans, first responders, and BMH team” that helped the Keyserlings.
“He’s surrounded by family and recovering well. Please join me by keeping him in your thoughts for a full and speedy recovery,” Murray added.
Then, the posts went national.
Spirit of America, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to boating education, lauded the Keyserlings for bringing their services to the Beaufort area.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with brothers Billy and Paul Keyserling in Beaufort SC,” the nonprofit’s Facebook post read. “Then Mayor Billy was responsible for bringing SOA to Beaufort and Paul has been a dedicated and passionate instructor and photographer for our program ever since, educating hundreds of young people in the Beaufort area. We wish them both good health and speedy recovery.”
Those who helped with the rescue also were being praised on social media.
In a Sunday post, City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department noted “Our very own Office Manager Tara Hodges and her husband Phillip to the rescue!”
“You ARE heroes,” stated one commenter.
Lexie Murray Benton, a registered nurse at the Colleton Medical Center, wrote a Saturday night Facebook post that she, her husband and friends helped the Keyerslings. By Monday morning, her post had nearly 400 reactions and over 50 comments wishing the brothers well and thanking the rescuers.
“Just got an update that he (Billy Keyserling) is in ICU and now breathing on his own!!!!” Benton wrote to update her Sunday post.
