An Ottawa woman in British Columbia for her daughter’s wedding has died in a surfing accident.

CTV Vancouver reports Ann Wittenberg died while surfing on Sunday in Tofino. Wittenberg was in Tofino for the wedding of her daughter Victoria Emon.

Emon tells CTV Vancouver that Wittenberg had gone surfing with her other daughter, Rachel, Sunday morning at Long Beach. Wittenberg somehow slipped and ended up in the water.

Emon says dozens of onlookers ran to help her mom and sister, adding “I am so grateful for everyone that helped her out of the water. For everyone that prayed for her, especially to the girls that took care of Rachel.”

The incident happened near Lovekin Rock, where another surfer died in February.

Emon says she went ahead with her wedding ceremony on Sunday afternoon because it’s what her mom would have wanted.

Wittenberg was a government worker in Ottawa. She had travelled to Vancouver Island for the wedding ceremony.

With files from CTV Vancouver. More details to come.