BREMERTON, Wash. -- The Coast Guard says July 4 is the deadliest day of the year for boaters and this has already been a dangerous year.

At age 25, KC Bayne never dreamed that he would lose his father in a boating accident one year ago at Brownsville Marina.

"It's weird, he was only 47-years-old, done a lot of unique, crazy, wild things in his life and just at the drop of a dime. One thing changed not only his life, but everyone's life," said Bayne.

Ken Bayne and his wife Jeannette, who had been married just three weeks, were on a jet ski that collided with a boat.

Jeannette died instantly and Ken three days later.

Since then, KC who spent his life loving the water and admits he has not always followed the rules has made a point of staying on land.

“I used to be careless and think I was invincible you know, and just rough and not think twice about speeding or flying, doing flips over wakes and all kinds of crazy stuff. And now I'm just on edge, I don’t even want to be near the water,” said KC.

KC is speaking out in hopes that others will get the message, that boating can be deadly.

“It just doesn’t cross your mind. You don’t think it could ever happen to you or people around you and it can,” KC said.

The Coast Guard reports 27 people have died this year in boating accidents in the northwest, and 22 of them were not wearing life vests.