Maria Pantazopoulos, a 30-year-old Canadian-Greek property agent, drowned in her wedding dress just weeks after marrying her husband Billy in June 2012. The tragedy occurred during a 'trash the dress' photoshoot at Ouareau River near Dorwin Falls in Montreal, a location recommended by photographer Louis Pagakis.
According to Pagakis, Pantazopoulos had been posing in the moss-covered waters before expressing a desire to swim further into the lake. She said, 'take some pictures of me while I swim a little bit in the lake.' However, her heavy bridal gown rapidly absorbed water, dragging her beneath the surface and making swimming impossible.
Her final haunting words were: 'I can't anymore. It's too heavy.' Pagakis immediately plunged into the water to assist but could not save her due to the gown's weight. A diving team later recovered her body from the lake bed.
In a statement, her family expressed that Maria would never have put her life at risk, stating she trusted Pagakis's recommendation for the location. They called on the municipal council of Rawdon to implement stronger security measures to prevent future tragedies.
