By Andrea Adelson | LB Indy
About 60 people diverted their holiday weekend plans for a tribute at the Sandpiper Bar in Laguna Beach to honor their friend William Poovey, who died in a freak accident in Zimbabwe on Friday, July 4.
Poovey, 43, suffered fatal injuries when a tourist tram near Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls was rammed by a freight train, according to Poovey’s best friend, Larry Weng, of Irvine. His wife Kara survived the crash, which broke her jaw in three places, and other sightseers and members of a wedding party were also injured in the collision, Weng said. Poovey was flown to South Africa for treatment but did not survive, he added.
The Pooveys were among the wedding guests headed to the famous landmark for sunset photos, Weng said. The Laguna couple were guests of Peter Holmes a Court, an Australia rugby team owner, and his fiancée, Alissa Everett, a war photographer. The wedding planned in Maun, Botswana was cancelled, the Daily Mail reported.
Everett, the Pooveys and Weng all attended UCLA together; the women were sorority sisters, said Weng, who counted on Poovey, his fraternity brother, to serve as best man at his own wedding.
Will Poovey went on to attend UC San Francisco’s Hastings Law School, working for the law firm Orrington, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP and to specialize in mergers and acquisitions work. He moved to Laguna Beach in 2000, investing his own capital in various high-tech start-ups. His most recent venture was as principal of IM Sourcing, based in Costa Mesa, a computer hardware distributor, Weng said.
Besides his wife, Poovey is survived by his mother, Anne; his brothers, John, of Colorado, and Stephen, of Massachusetts; and children Carson and Coco. His father Kenneth died not long after the couple’s move to Laguna.
Services are planned in Laguna Beach sometime next month, Weng said.
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Thanks for this article Andrea. Will was the most amazing person I have ever met. Laguna Beach, his family and his friends will mourn his loss for a long time. Today is his son Carson’s eleventh birthday. Carson is wise and mature beyond his years and will carry Will’s legacy forward proudly.
Will Poovey was one of the greatest men I’ve ever met. As his wife Kara said recently, he truly was larger than life. He was a loving father and husband, a caring, kind, and generous man who always pushed himself and others around him to be the best that they could be. He will be missed dearly by all who knew him. I’m grateful I had the chance to know him, even if it was only for a little while.
Rest in peace, buddy.
What a freak accident and sad outcome. Looks and sounds like the perfect family. I only knew them casually from living in town. Thank heavens the children still have their mother, as badly injured as she is. What a tough adjustment for mom and the two kids. The extended family will be of huge value over the next year…
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I was looking for information about Will on the internet. Knew him in college, and he was an impressive person in every way. How sad I am to hear that he passed away. Looks like he left two wonderful children, and I can say they were incredibly lucky to have had him as a dad. A gift they can take with them everywhere, and forever.
William and I were best friends in first and second grade in San Diego. I am just finding out about his death now and I am in a state of shock. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and everyone who knew him. -Ryan Farmer