Virginia Beach, Va. - The body of an 81-year-old man was recovered from Lake Smith in the 5200 block of Northampton Boulevard Tuesday morning.
Very close friends of Floyd Douglass White were there trying to come to grips with what happened at the lake they say they grew up fishing on.
"I'm just still in shock right now.. I'm in shock"
Anthony Boyd, a very close family friend, found it hard to look at the lake this morning.
A man who he says he grew up with and looked up to is no longer here.
Virginia Beach police say it was around 3:45 this morning. Someone called 911 about a possible drowning after seeing a man fall into the lake. When crews arrived they found and pulled out White's body.
Wilford Smiths says he was with White all night - and it all played out before his eyes.
"He was balled up in a knot like this... he was asleep"
Sleeping while Wilford says he continued to fish. Eventually White woke and stood up.
He says White tumbled straight down some rocks and into the water. Wilford watched him struggle.
He looked around for something to throw in, but there was nothing. Today, he walked away from Lake Smith hours after police left feeling empty
"It just took something out of me .... my whole body is numb."
