Family Demands Answers After Navy Veteran Dies in Assisted Living FreezerTRINITY, FLORIDA — The family of an 83-year-old Navy veteran is demanding answers and calling for improved safety measures after he was found dead in a walk-in freezer at an assisted living facility in Pasco County. William Eugene "Gene" Ray, who lived with dementia, died from hypothermia on September 26 after wandering into an unlocked freezer at The Waverly Assisted Living and Memory Care facility in Trinity, where he had lived for just four months.

A Morning of Mounting Panic

Gene's daughter, Kristen Spencer, discovered her father was missing when she checked the Ring camera installed in his room early that morning. The camera footage showed Gene leaving his room at 12:33 a.m., but he never returned. "I woke up the next morning, and when I looked at the Ring camera, the light was on, and he was not in his room," Spencer said. In a panic, she immediately called her mother and then contacted The Waverly to alert staff before racing to the facility herself. "We met at The Waverly, where staff were searching for him. We were distraught. How in the world is this happening?" Spencer recalled.

Hours passed as the search continued. Then, around 8 a.m., the facility's administrator delivered devastating news that would shatter the family forever. "She said he was in the freezer," Spencer said, her voice still filled with disbelief. "I couldn't even believe the words that I was hearing. I said, 'What do you mean he's in the freezer?' How could this happen? Basic safety measures were not in place to secure the kitchen." Emergency services rushed Gene to Trinity Medical Center, located across the parking lot, but it was too late. His core body temperature had dropped to 66 degrees. Doctors attempted CPR, but Gene could not be saved. The Pasco County Medical Examiner listed hypothermia as the preliminary cause of death. Spencer was haunted by the timeline: "If we had not called the facility, when would they have found him?"

A Life Cut Short

Gene Ray was far more than the victim of a tragedy. He was a loving husband of 56 years to his wife, Carol; a devoted father to his two adult children; and a proud Navy Reserve veteran who served his country for over three decades. "He was funny," Spencer said. "He was artistic, very creative, always happy, always smiling, and friendly to everyone. He never raised his voice. He was just so hardworking. His work ethic was incredible."

Those who knew him remember a man who brought joy to others, especially through his harmonica playing. Spencer shared videos of her father entertaining residents and staff at The Waverly, his music filling the hallways with warmth. Gene also enjoyed building intricate models of bridges and battleships for his only grandson and drawing planes and muscle cars. Though still physically active, his dementia had been progressing. "Mentally, the dementia, you know, it was just progressing," Spencer said. Gene was buried on October 4 with full military honors.

Warning Signs and Growing Concerns

Spencer said her family had concerns about The Waverly before the tragedy occurred. Gene had moved to the facility on May 19 because his dementia had progressed to the point where his wife could no longer safely care for him at home. "There were no issues right at the beginning," Spencer said. "As time progressed, though, you see, when you're there all the time, you see things, and so you see these little things that start to send up concerns." Among those concerns were staffing issues at the facility. "There were issues with staffing that we were aware of. That caused concern for us," she said. "You put your loved one in there with trust."The family's worries prompted them to install the Ring camera in Gene's room. In the weeks leading up to his death, Spencer noticed her father seemed more confused and was acting abnormally on the night he disappeared.

The facility, which opened in 2024, advertises "Elegance in living, excellence in service" on its website. Spencer initially thought it would be a wonderful home for her father. "It's beautiful. Everything was decorated so beautifully," she said.Investigations UnderwayThe Pasco County Sheriff's Office and the Agency for Health Care Administration are now investigating the incident. The sheriff's office said preliminary information shows the incident was accidental and that no foul play is suspected. Detectives spent twelve hours at the facility gathering evidence, and The Waverly turned over all interior surveillance footage from that day. According to state records, Wellness Center of Trinity LLC has been the owner and licensee of The Waverly since 2018. Florida Department of Health records show The Waverly had no documented violations prior to the incident.The Facility RespondsIn a statement to FOX 13, The Waverly declined an on-camera interview but confirmed the facility is cooperating fully with investigators.

The statement emphasized that the facility maintains staffing levels more than double the state's minimum requirements and has safeguards designed for residents' needs. "The Waverly Assisted Living & Memory Care is aware of a recent report regarding an incident at our community," the statement read. "The safety, dignity, and well-being of our residents is—and always will be—our highest priority. We have never experienced an incident of this nature in the many years of operating in the assisted living space."The facility's statement continued: "Our community is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking loss. The grief felt by our entire staff is indescribable.

We are truly proud of our staff's profound and immediate response to the situation and grateful for their continued compassion, dedication, and professionalism." The Waverly also emphasized residents' rights to independence: "Residents in our Assisted Living community of the Waverly have a right to independence, and as this is their home, expect freedom in their daily lives and routines." The facility stated it remains "in complete compliance with local, state, and federal regulations" and noted that "the general public will be surprised in the future when certain aspects are appropriate for discussion in a public forum."Legal Action and Calls for ChangeAttorney Steve Barnes, who represents Gene's family, has filed a notice of intent to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit alleging negligence and deviation from standards of care. "There's got to be multiple points at which this could have been prevented. And that's what we're going to be looking at," Barnes said. "Not just locks on two sets of doors, but how one of the residents at that time of night can be left to wander common areas of the building without somebody at least asking questions or seeing why he's down there."Barnes pointed to a similar incident in Utah, where 75-year-old Rickie Rubick was found trapped in a freezer at The Meadows at Escalante Assisted Living Facility in 2024. She died four days later from frostbite and hypothermia.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services fined that facility $11,200 and placed its license on conditional status. "We've done some investigation and found out something very similar happened in Utah," Barnes said. "It needs not to happen again."A Family's Desperate PleaFor Kristen Spencer, no investigation or lawsuit can bring her father back. But she hopes speaking out will prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak. "They failed us. They failed my family.

They failed my dad. That's the bottom line," she said, her voice breaking. "We need answers. How could this happen? Basic safety measures are not in place. When you have vulnerable people in a place, you have to secure these areas." Spencer wants to see action taken to improve safety measures at the facility and ensure this tragedy never happens again. "That no other family will have to endure what my family has endured," she said. "In those moments with him locked in there all by himself for hours... I just don't even have words."As authorities continue their investigation, one question haunts everyone involved: How does an elderly man with dementia end up locked in a walk-in freezer for hours at a facility specifically designed to keep him safe?