Adrienne Vaughan, mother of two and president of Bloomsbury USA, was tragically killed in a horrific speedboat accident off Italy’s Amalfi Coast.
The 45-year-old was described by her colleagues as a “charismatic true leader” and had previously made a name for herself working for the publisher of the Harry Potter books.
Away from her demanding job, Vaughan had reportedly “dreamed” of visiting Europe this month with husband Mike White, daughter Leanna, 14, and son Mason, 11.
But the holiday turned into a nightmare after they hired a Gozzo Sorrentino boat for a day out on the water, piloted by a skipper who, according to witnesses, later appeared ‘broke’ and ‘drunk’.
The publisher, 45, was described as a ‘charismatic true leader’
Vaughan and husband Mike White regularly shared photos of their picture-perfect family
Ms. Vaughan graduated with an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business before her lucrative publishing career
Originally from New York, Vaughan lived with her family in a sleepy New Jersey neighborhood.
Just a day before the tragedy, her husband Mike had shared a Facebook post from their trip to Italy, in which the family was beaming on their vacation.
They seemed to be the perfect family as they beamed in front of the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum, and just three weeks before returning to London for their holiday.
During their visit to Italy, Vaughan had chartered a motorboat in Nerano and was heading to Positano. Agenzia Giornalistica Italia.
The allegedly drunk skipper would then slam the ship into the side of a 40-foot barge hosting a wedding party, with shocking footage capturing the moment the music cuts to a halt as guests realize what has happened.
Mike underwent surgery on his left shoulder after the accident, while the children were unharmed but in shock.
The million-dollar Vaughan family home in a sleepy New Jersey neighborhood
The mother of two had built an impressive career in publishing and planned to expand Bloomsbury across America before her tragic death
The family was on their way to the picturesque town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast when the tragic accident happened. The family was in Rome just a few days ago
Before her lucrative publishing career, Vaughan graduated with an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.
She went to work for the Oxford University Press and from 2015 to 2018 she worked for the Disney publishing house.
Vaughan joined Bloomsbury in 2020 as an executive director and COO, before being named the company’s US president the following year.
When she was promoted to the prestigious position, Bloomsbury praised her for her “strong leadership in a challenging time.”
According to Publishers weeklyher tenure as president focused on the company’s “next chapter,” including expansion across America “with a strong future and significant publishing impact.”
She was described on LinkedIn as a “charismatic true leader” by a former colleague who added, “She was my coach and my mentor. I loved working with her every day. It was always ready to help others.’
A witness said the speedboat’s skipper looked “drunk” after it crashed into the yacht
Shocking footage showed the wedding party looking over the side of the ship after the crash
It is unclear what caused the Vaughan’s speedboat to collide with the 40-meter yacht, which was carrying about 85 visitors from America and Germany celebrating a wedding.
Moments before the crash, footage showed the wedding party dancing and enjoying the scenic scenery.
The music fell silent as the boat crashed into the side of their ship, causing the guests to rush to the edge as they threw inflatables at the family.
That is what witness Pietro Luzzolino told Corriere del Mezzogiorno newspaper that the skipper of the speedboat “broke” and “give the impression of being drunk.” According to Italian media, the 30-year-old driver also failed toxicology tests after the tragedy Ansa And Italy24.