The Indianapolis community is grieving the tragic loss of Amya Elizabeth Haas, a 22-year-old lifeguard, swim instructor, artist, and aspiring pharmacy technician, who drowned in Eagle Creek Reservoir on July 24, 2025.
According to the Indianapolis Fire Department, Amya dove into the water from a sailboat near Rick’s Café Boatyard around 5:05 p.m. and never resurfaced. A multi-agency search involving the Indianapolis Fire Department, Pike Township Fire Department, Wayne Township Fire Department, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ensued, with boats, sonar, and drones deployed. Despite exhaustive efforts, the search was paused at 7:11 p.m., and the DNR continued underwater sonar operations. Amya’s body was located around 10:18 p.m., bringing a devastating end to the rescue mission. Her family plans to honor her legacy by donating her organs.
“It’s so ironic,” her mother, Tanya Haas, shared in a poignant interview with IndyStar. “Of all the ways this could have happened… She spent her summers teaching others how to stay safe in the water as a lifeguard and swim instructor.”
Amya was a radiant, multifaceted young woman with a boundless spirit. A talented artist, she had recently opened an online store to sell her artwork, pouring her emotions into paintings that served as a therapeutic outlet. “It calmed her spirit,” Tanya said. “Art was her way to find peace and express herself.” Amya was steadily honing her craft, seeking new avenues to share her creations with the world.
She was also on the cusp of a new professional journey, training to become a pharmacy technician while balancing her entrepreneurial and artistic pursuits. Her ambition and creativity were matched by her vibrant personality—loyal, outgoing, and deeply compassionate.
Adopted at age four alongside her younger brother, Amya found a nurturing home with Tanya and David Haas. Her biological mother, who faced mental health struggles, was the adopted sister of David. Amya herself navigated personal challenges, including mental health, but her love for her family remained unwavering. “Even as an adult, when things got tough,” Tanya recalled, “she’d curl up in my lap and ask me to hold her for a while.”
Amya’s sudden passing has left an irreplaceable void in the hearts of her parents, siblings, and the countless friends and community members touched by her warmth and resilience. Described as fiercely loyal and endlessly loving, she leaves behind a legacy of creativity, courage, and care.
Her death serves as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable dangers of open water, even for those with extensive swimming experience. Amya’s story underscores the urgent need for heightened water safety awareness, a cause she championed through her work as a lifeguard and instructor.
As Indianapolis mourns Amya Elizabeth Haas, her family and community are called to honor her memory by continuing the passions she held dear: protecting others, embracing creativity, and showing love, especially in life’s most challenging moments.
She will be deeply missed.
She will be forever remembered.