MS Coast man missing in Gulf helicopter crash was ‘old soul’ who cherished his wife and sons
Christmas presents that bear David Scarborough’s name sit under the tree of the South Mississippi home he shares with his wife, Lacy, who is expecting their second son in April.
Lacy and David planned to celebrate the holiday late when he got home Thursday from working offshore. He would have unwrapped a tool for his guns, an Apple Watch, a griddle for camping and the packages of underwear and socks Lacy always gets for him. His gifts are covered in Mickey Mouse wrapping paper that Lacy uses in memory of their 2-year-old son, Sawyer, who died in a March drowning. The Disney character was their toddler’s favorite.
The couple would celebrate New Year’s Eve together, but not at an event, casino or bar. The “old souls” who loved to be home would have likely stayed in together.
But David never walked through the door on Thursday.
The 36-year-old Lizana man was one of four people aboard a helicopter returning from an oil platform Thursday morning when the aircraft crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Coast Guard searched by plane and boat for the victims for eight hours before suspending their efforts.
Searchers were preparing Friday afternoon to start a recovery mission after the stormy weather subsided. Lacy will spend the hours and days before 2023 hoping her husband’s body will be found and brought home.
“That is our (family’s) prayer,” Lacy told the Sun Herald on Friday.
‘He cherished our little family’
David and Lacy met each other in 2009 and became quick friends. It wasn’t until nine years later that they decided to give dating a try and quickly fell in love.
On Nov. 16, 2019, the couple tied the knot at St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
The couple celebrated their third anniversary early before he left to head offshore.
Sawyer was born not long after Lacy and David married.
“David was an amazing father,” Lacy said. “He lived for the days he could hang out with Sawyer.” The father and son would go get breakfast together at Chick-fil-A and go fishing or ride out the family hunting lease.
When tragedy struck and Sawyer died earlier this year, Lacy said she and David put their faith in God to help them heal.
“It was not easy,” she said. “We struggled, but we knew we had to lean on each other and trust that God would guide us. We didn’t stop moving and knew we had to keep busy and stay involved with the community to keep our boy’s memory alive.”
Lacy and David found out they were pregnant not long after Sawyer’s death. They learned it was a boy in November and revealed the sex of the baby to family at their Thanksgiving celebration. His name will be Sutton. Lacy said David was looking most forward to carrying traditions he started with Sawyer with their new bundle of joy.
“One thing David wanted in life was a family to love, and he cherished our little family,” she said.
Getting promoted offshore & his favorite things
David worked for Island Operating Company, based in the Lafayette, Louisiana area, for eight years and recently had gotten promoted. He would be gone for weeks at a time, which was hard for him, but Lacy said he loved his job.
At the time of his disappearance, he was the lead operator of his oil platform.
David missed his family and being home while he was out in the Gulf, and he also missed his favorite fast food spots. Lacy said he’d want to eat pizza and McDonald’s when he got back home.
He also was an outdoorsman who loved deep sea fishing and planting trees, a hobby he took up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lacy and the Scarborough family are asking the Mississippi Coast community to keep praying for peace and comfort in the days ahead.
“David was an old soul. He loved his family. He was the best ‘Dad’ee,’ husband, uncle, brother and friend,” Lacy said.
This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 4:18 PM.
