NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man named Jason McDonald lost his life after drowning in Percy Priest Lake this week.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency confirmed the death happened Wednesday night.
Taylor Knight, Jason's best friend, says he was a lot of things, including a horror movie fanatic, a talented artist, and a loyal friend.
"He was a brother, he was a loved one, he was a friend," said Knight. "He was a son...I mean, he was everything."
He says the 55-year-old, who had the nickname Deadeye, is gone too soon.
On Wednesday night, the (TWRA) officials said Jason was on a pontoon boat with friends at Percy Priest Lake. At one point, he jumped off the boat near Elm Hill Marina.
TWRA says he started to struggle and called for help, but he went under before anyone was able to save him. Nashville Fire found his body in the lake early the next morning, without a life jacket.
Knight has known his buddy for over 25 years. He says his death hurts, but he wouldn't have done anything differently.
"If I had my last words, and I knew this was the last conversation we were gonna have, it would still be the same. We would still talk about girls, we would talk about cars, we would talk about art, we would talk about beer," he laughed. "I call him a brother — he's a brother. He's not my friend, he's a brother."
TWRA said this is the third boating-related death on Percy Priest Lake this year.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
