Tragedy after Oklahoma man, 20, decided to go for solo swim in lake during family party

Published: 18:29, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 18:35, 14 July 2026 What was meant to be a cheerful birthday celebration ended in unimaginable tragedy after a 20-year-old Oklahoma man drowned to death. Seth Nash was attending a birthday party at Arcadia lake, northeast of Oklahoma City, on Sunday when he got into grave difficulty swimming back to shore shortly before 6pm. The young man was pulled from the lake by emergency crews, when he was found to be unconscious and not breathing. Speaking about the tragic loss, Nash's wife of two years, Amelia Casady, 22, told the Daily Mail that she will 'miss all of our inside jokes' 'Seth was really intelligent, really funny, he cared a lot about the people around him,' she added. The devastated widow also revealed the one thing that she 'can't stop replaying in her mind.' 'He wasn't the greatest swimmer, he would panic' she disclosed through tears, adding, 'he had trouble keeping himself up.' Nash had been attending a family birthday gathering at the popular recreation area before he had decided to enter the water by himself. According to police, at some point during the swim he traveled a considerable distance from the shoreline when he began to struggle. Witnesses said Nash appeared to be in distress and had called out for help before sinking beneath the surface. Seth Nash, 20, drowned in Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma on Sunday 6pm whilst attending a family birthday party According to authorities the man began to face difficulty moments after he swam considerably far out from the shore, before being submerged by the water Authorities later retrieved him from the waters unconscious and not breathing at 7pm, after receiving emergency reports from the lake At 6pm, authorities received reports that a swimmer had gone underwater and failed to resurface. Edmond police officers, the Edmond Fire Department and its Swift Water Rescue Team, as well as the Oklahoma City Fire Department’s dive team, descended upon Arcadia Lake and launched an extensive search in hopes of finding the missing swimmer. Boats were deployed across the lake while divers entered the water and sonar equipment was used to search below the surface.  As emergency crews worked against the clock, distraught family members remained watching from shore, hoping for a miracle. But as the minutes stretched into an hour with no sight of Nash, officials acknowledged the chances of finding him alive were diminishing, and the search transitioned from a rescue mission into recovery efforts. Dive teams continued combing the lake, late into the evening before eventually locating Nash's lifeless body at 7pm, beneath the water. Authorities later confirmed his identity. Police say at this time there is nothing to suggest foul play was at hand and the incident is being investigated as an accidental drowning. Nash's wife Amelia Casady lamented to the Daily Mail, saying that the loss will be 'unbearable' The pair had met on Instagram and swiftly got together after meeting in real life Nash has faced brief jailtime before, earlier this year on July 2, after he was arrested for speeding, carrying weapons and contributing to a minors delinquency However, Casady remains skeptical of the events, telling the Daily Mail that authorities hadn't tried to contact her and that she was only informed of Nash's death yesterday morning by his mother, Ginger Nash. Casady explained that the ordeal is particularly difficult to comprehend as she and Nash were not living together at the time of the tragedy and were in the process of legally separating. According to Casady, the pair had still remained amicable but had not spoken since July 3. Nash had had a run-in with the law the day prior and had told Casady that he was not able to speak. Recalling their final exchange, Casady had quipped saying, 'Have you finally got out of jail?' to which he responded, 'Actually yeah.' Nash had been arrested for carrying weapons, speeding and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Casady also revealed to the Daily Mail that the lake was in fact a special spot for them both, and had been frequented often during their years together. 'He never goes in much though, I keep wondering why he went so far in,' she said.  A close friend of the family has set up a GoFundMe to help the single mother with funeral expenses Eerily, Casady had been there the day before the incident, and reported that she had had to leave early due to storm warnings. She wonders if that ominous weather could have played a part in Nash's fatal end. Ginger Nash, the 20-year-old's mother who was in attendance at the time of the drowning, has not yet spoken on the death of her son, although her close friend Brenda Shreve has since launched a GoFundMe to help ease the financial burden of funeral costs. The fundraiser describes Ginger as a 'hardworking and caring person who puts her family first.' 'Recently, she suffered an unimaginable loss when her son tragically drowned,' it adds. 'This heartbreaking event has left Ginger facing not only emotional pain, but also the overwhelming challenge of covering final expenses and supporting her two other children at home.' Nash's death comes just over a year after his father, Robert Nash, died of liver and lung cancer. Arcadia lake is one of central Oklahoma's busiest outdoor recreation areas, attracting thousands of visitors every summer for swimming, boating and fishing. Officials have not stated whether Nash was wearing a lifejacket when he entered the water. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death remains ongoing. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Edmond Police Department for comment.