Family mourns Cobb teen who died while studying abroad

A community is mourning the loss of a Cobb County high school senior who drowned while in a study program abroad.

Morgan Lide, 17, was swimming in the ocean in Bali, Indonesia over the weekend with her host family when they lost sight of her. Morgan's body washed ashore, but lifeguards could not revive her.

Lide was a senior at Wheeler High School, where she was an honor student  in the math and science magnet program. She was also a talented artist and was selected to be part of the Georgia Governor's Art Program. She had planned to study international affairs in college. The foreign exchange program was a first step towards that goal.

"It was a hard decision to make to let her do it, but she said, ‘you have to let me try,'" said Lori Lide, Morgan's mother.

Morgan's parents followed their daughter's experiences in Indonesia through her blog. She posted photos of children she taught English to and she wrote about learning the language and culture.

"Proud and amazed because I thought, ‘I don't know if I'd have the courage to be able to do these things that she's trying,'" said Lori Lide.
 
Her family never imagined she wouldn't' come home, but they don't regret their decision to let her go on the trip.

"In the short time she was in Indonesia she really made a big impact," said her father, Chuck Lide. "As a parent, I see her as teaching me a lot about love and how to be kind to people."
 
The school held a moment of silence on Monday in Morgan's memory, and students wore blue in her honor on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, Morgan's family is asking that donations be made to the Stretch Mission in Costa Rica, an orphanage that she visited through Wheeler High School's Leadership Club.

For more information, visit http://www.stretchmissions.org/