LONGVIEW, Texas — An East Texas man, Adam Gillette, 34, died when he dove into shallow water at a lake in Gladewater this past weekend.
Owner of Outlaws Bar in Longview, Melissa Kelly said Gillette was a regular.
"A freak accident. And I wish things could be different. And he could come back and be here. We all miss him so much," Kelly said.
Kelly said she had known Gillette for two years. When she got the news about his death, it was hard to believe. She said he was just at the bar the night before singing while he played his guitar.
It was Gillette’s love for performing that connected him to the community.
"He always brought everybody together," Kelly said.
Kelly said Gillette talked about his three kids being the light of his life… now they have to grow up without their father.
"I think to myself, 'Oh, wow. Did he know that when he was going to the lake that day that he was never coming back home to his children?' Sad thing, really sad thing," Kelly said.
Outlaws Bar will host a benefit night to raise money for the Gillette family.
According to Gladewater Police Department, the area where the incident happened is still open to the public. However, they do have warning signs up.
Officials continue to investigate this case but say they believe alcohol was a factor in this tragedy.