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The grandson of a prominent Calgary businessman has drowned at a vacation property in Florida, leaving the close-knit family devastated.
Left unattended for only a moment, Jackson Henuset, 2, grandson of Wayne Henuset, climbed into a swimming pool unnoticed during a gathering Sunday afternoon at the family's property on Marco Island -- near the southern tip of Florida.
Reached in Florida yesterday, a sobbing Wayne said the family is now leaning on each other for support.
"It was just a tragic accident," he said.
"They weren't 10 feet away from him, everybody was right here, it happened in just a second."
An older brother to nine-month-old Charlie, Wayne said Jackson was full of life and just starting to form his personality.
"He was a very independent, very intelligent boy," he said.
Jackson was with his parents, Scott, 30, and Suzanne, 28, as part of a retreat with a group of employees from Scott's company when the accident happened.
Wayne Henuset is the owner of Willow Park Wines and Spirits -- which is now the largest privately owned liquor store in the country -- and a former owner of Alberta Energy.
Well-known in Calgary business circles for his philanthropic endeavours, which have raised millions of dollars for charity, Wayne recently donated $500,000 toward the construction of Willow Park on the Bow, a 150-unit apartment building in Bridgeland for low-income seniors which opened in October.
The accident is the second drowning of a young child in the last three months on the Florida island dotted with luxury homes.
In August, a two-year-old girl was found by family members in the deep end of a vacation home pool.
The girl was rushed to hospital but later died.
DAVE.DORMER@SUNMEDIA.CA