WALKER, Minn. — What began as a peaceful afternoon on the shimmering expanse of Leech Lake turned tragic when a pontoon boat veered off course and crashed into the rocky shoreline near Walker City Park. The sole occupant, 59-year-old Theresa Kay Cechini of Cass Lake, was found unresponsive inside the vessel, marking a heartbreaking end to a quiet day on the water.
Just before 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a boat collision along the lake’s southern edge. The pontoon, a 2016 Regency Tri-Toon, had slammed into rocks in front of a lakeside residence on Cleveland Avenue. First responders discovered Cechini alone and unconscious inside the boat. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead en route to the Walker Airport, where she was being transported for emergency medical care.
An autopsy conducted by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Cechini suffered a sudden medical emergency prior to the crash. The nature of the episode—described by Sheriff Bryan Welk as a cardiac event—left her unable to control the vessel, leading to the fatal impact.
The incident has cast a somber shadow over the Walker community, where Leech Lake is typically a haven for recreation and serenity. Local authorities, including the Walker Police and Fire Departments, North Memorial Health Ambulance, and Air Care, responded swiftly, but the tragedy unfolded too quickly for intervention to alter its course.
Theresa Cechini, remembered by friends and neighbors as a warm and spirited woman, leaves behind a legacy of kindness and resilience. Her untimely passing serves as a poignant reminder of how fragile life can be—even in the most tranquil of settings.