'Meant To Have Our Lives Together:' Lacey Fisherman Dies At Sea

LACEY, NJ — The only thing Rodney Bart Jr. loved more than spending time on the water was his family. Bart and his wife, Amanda Cranford, dreamed of spending the rest of their lives together.

But everything changed June 1. Bart's father showed up at their house and told Cranford that his son died at sea.

Bart, 32, leaves behind his wife and two children. The commercial fisherman took care of the family financially. Cranford's main job was to make sure their son, Lucas, had everything he needed. Lucas is in the autism program at Cedar Creek Elementary School and just finished first grade.

A GoFundMe is helping the family get through this difficult time.

"We were not prepared for something like this," Cranford said. "Rod was only 32 years old. We were meant to have our whole lives together — that was always the plan."

Bart loved the ocean. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a commercial fisherman at age 18. For the past 14 years, Bart was a clammer based out of Atlantic City. His family joked that he had saltwater in his veins.

He came into Cranford's family when her daughter, Taylor, was 11 years old. Bart loved Taylor like she was his own. Then Bart and Cranford added to the family with the birth of Lucas.

Now Cranford is figuring out where to go from here. Lucas receives essential services through his school and outside services through the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Tom’s River, and now Cranford must figure out the next financial steps for her family.

"While I am waiting for benefits to take effect, time is not on our side and our funds are quickly running out," she said.

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe.

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