SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- One month after the deadly bluff collapse in Encinitas, the husband of one of the victims is speaking out for the very first time. Dr. Pat Davis is a well-known dentist in the community. He lost his wife, daughter, and sister-in-law in that tragic collapse.
Davis says he’s still in a state of healing. But despite the pain of losing his family members, he is now urging local leaders to come up with a plan, so no family has to go through this again.
“It’s a terrible thing to experience,” says Davis. “I can’t think of a worse situation that could of happened to me as a family man.”
The Davis family was out for a day at the beach back on August 2nd. Davis’ wife Julie, daughter Annie Clave and Sister-in-law Elizabeth Davis were sitting under the cliff when it gave out, killing all three women.
“People in my family have been down to Grandview beach a thousand times, over the last 25 years,” says Davis. “We’ve never looked at it as being a place that was really dangerous.”
Annie Clave’s friend, Tiffany Rogers, was also at the beach that day. She held back tears describing her three friends. “
“Three extraordinary women who had just everything, just beautiful, so beautiful on the inside,” says Rogers.
As part of healing, Dr. Davis says his new purpose in life is to find a solution to stabilize the bluffs. He supports options like cutting off some access to the beach, sand replenishment, or putting a barrier wall along the cliffs.
Just this past weekend, there have been two more bluff collapses, in Encinitas and Torrey Pines State Beach.
A couple of weeks ago, Davis made a passionate plea before the Encinitas City Council to take action. Thursday afternoon, he shared his concerns with Congressman Mike Levin who is fighting to get federal funding to shore up the bluffs.
“It’s not a question of if this is going to happen. It’s when it’s going to happen again,” says Davis. “All you have to do is go walk along our beaches up here; you see cliffs that look like they could fall at any time.”
