Wife shares husband's final moments before his death in Florida flooding

Wife shares husband's final moments before his death in Florida flooding Advertisement Updated: 12:33 PM CST Nov 5, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Kennedy Mason Reporter Wife shares husband's final moments before his death in Florida flooding Updated: 12:33 PM CST Nov 5, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Kennedy Mason Reporter Flooding in Brevard County, Fla., claimed the lives of 34-year-old Joshua Bennett and 78-year-old Archie Richards during Monday's storm. A Silver Alert was issued on Monday for Richards after he was reported missing. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said Richards was found dead inside his vehicle on Richards Lane and Hall Road on Tuesday. Advertisement Palm Bay police said Joshua Bennett died when rising river water trapped his car on San Filippo Drive, submerging it with him inside. Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina announced the deaths Tuesday. Quick trip ended in tragedy For Joshua Bennett's family, Monday morning started like any other, but a quick trip to get coffee ended in tragedy. His wife, Stacy Petit Bennett, said he called her on FaceTime, terrified, after floodwaters surrounded his truck on San Filippo Drive. "He called me on FaceTime, and he was just crying like, 'I don't know what to do, I don't know what to do.' And he said he's in the middle of a river, and his car is, like, submerged with water all around," she said. She said she urged him to break a window and get out, but then the call dropped. Stacy Petit Bennett called 911 and spent hours trying to get help for her husband. Joshua Bennett was 34 years old, a husband, a father of four, and the center of his family's world. "Joshua was an amazing husband and dad. He has a son and three daughters. He was super obsessed with them. He loved to do activities with them," Stacy Petit Bennett said. She said they met in college while she was studying bio pre-med. "We got married in 2020, and we ended up having kids. Twins. I had twin girls. They were born super early. They were preemies," Stacy Petit Bennett said. "They were born at 25 weeks, one-pounders. And they spent about three months in McHugh. And that was one of the main reasons I ended up becoming a stay-at-home mom." She recalled their Sunday family traditions, including trips to indoor playgrounds, gymnastics and horseback riding. Stacy said Joshua Bennett also loved baking with his daughters and taking them out on his personal watercraft. Now, she said, their children are left asking when their father is coming home. "I was a stay-at-home mom, and we have three kids with special needs, so now we're essentially starting from scratch. He's not here. I don't have my support system. They don't have their father," Stacy Petit Bennett said. She said her family is also trying to bring Joshua Bennett home to New Hampshire. As they grapple with an unimaginable loss, she wants people to remember that his life — and every life — matters. "Every life is important, and everyone deserves a chance to be rescued. To be saved. He was just 34 years old. His kids are young," Stacy Petit Bennett said. The family has organized a GoFundMe to help support Joshua Bennett's wife and kids as they navigate the heartbreaking loss and flood damage. Anyone interested in donating can do so here . ‘I'm afraid for a lot of people’: Brevard County families struggle after historic flooding Make WISN a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks New study links energy drinks to reports of heart attacks and cardiac arrest in young adults 16 midterm races are within 1%. What could happen next? Republican redistricting failed to flip most targeted districts From party control to voter turnout: These charts explain the 2026 midterm election results