Nine family members were killed — including several young children — when a packed SUV on Monday ran off a South Florida road, crashed into a guardrail and landed upside down in a canal, officials said.

Only one passenger survived the deadly wreck and was hospitalized in serious condition.

“I’ve been with the department for 20 years, and this is one of the most difficult scenes I’ve been on,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes said.

The tragedy occurred around 7:30 p.m. as the four adults and six children from out of state passed through Belle Glade and came to a sharp left curve, the Palm Beach Sherrif’s Office said.

Driver Pamela Wiggins, who would have turned 57 on Tuesday, failed to negotiate the turn “for undetermined reasons” and careened off the road, according to police.

The SUV smashed into the guardrail, flipped and tumbled into the water — where it became so submerged that only its wheels were visible, Reyes said.

Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene and five others died at the hospital, according to police.

The dead include six children: 1-year-old Naleia Tucker; 3-year-old Ziaire Mack; 5-year-olds Yasire Smith and Kamdien Edwards; 8-year-old Imani Andre Ajani Hall and 14-year-old Michael Anthony Hall Jr.

Leiana Alyse Hall, 30; Anyia Monique Lee Tucker, 21, and Wiggins were also killed.

Jorden Rickey Hall, 26, is the lone survivor of the tragedy and is in serious condition.

The family — who hailed from Bridgeport, Connecticut and Chesapeake, Virginia — was visiting Florida for a family member’s birthday party, according to grieving loved ones.

The crash occurred on the final day of the trip, Anntianette Edwards, who lost her son Kamdien, told WPBF.

“They were heading to the airport to come back to Connecticut,” Anntianette said.

The family was driving a 2023 Ford Explorer, which has a maximum capacity of seven people, according to Ford dealership websites.

None of the passengers in the overloaded car were wearing seatbelts at the time of the fatal wreck, police said.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Belle Glade is a farming community just south of Lake Okeechobee and about 45 miles west of West Palm Beach.

With Post Wires

For the next five years, whenever Florida International University’s players step into their stadium, they’ll be reminded of Mr. 305 himself: Pitbull. The rapper has locked into a deal with the Miami-based academic institution that grants him naming rights to its football stadium for the price of $1.2 million per year, as well as some social obligations. Beginning this fall, the location will officially be renamed Pitbull Stadium.

“What we’re doing here is groundbreaking. We’re making history. This is history in the making,” Pitbull shared, per ESPN. “You’re going to see that every other university is going to want to do the same thing. But the difference is, we don’t do this for propaganda, we do it from the heart. We do it because it’s meaningful. We do it because I’m from the crib. I’m 305. I’m from the bottom. This is my backyard.”

The Florida International University board of trustees approved the five-year deal on Tuesday, with an option to extend the name for another five years. Pitbull’s yearly obligations as the stadium’s namesake include a minimum of 12 social media posts about the university, as well as at least one appearance at a fundraising event for an athletic team at the school. He’ll also have to get in the studio to cut a new Florida International University anthem.

“For me, what it boils down to is, Miami is always known for being underdogs, no matter what we do and what level we take it to,” Pitbull added. “Being underdogs is what I always felt about FIU — fighting, clawing their way to just be seen, to be recognized whether it be from education, business, through sports.” The idea, he explained, emerged from that spirit of being underestimated. “It came about just like a Miami-Dade County, 305 idea would come about — nobody would believe in it,” he said. “All we had to do was, just like we say in Miami, take it to the house.”

The football stadium has been open since 1995 but began hosting FIU games in 2002. It boasts a capacity of 20,000 attendees. The Panthers’ first game in Pitbull Stadium will be on Sept. 7, when they face Central Michigan University.

“This is a historic day for FIU athletics to uniquely partner with a world-renowned artist and amazing person who truly values relationships and his community,” athletic director Scott Carr shared about the musician born Armando Christian Perez. “Armando’s financial support is program-changing, but him providing a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to growing our brand.”

It’s proving to be beneficial to Pitbull’s brands as well — the deal grants him access to the stadium for 10 days per year and marks his alcohol company Voli 305 Vodka as the stadium’s preferred brand. His more than $5 million investment might actually be money well spent.

Florida is no longer the retirement haven it once was, according to a recent Bankrate survey that placed it eighth on a list of the best states to retire in the country.

According to the New York-based financial services company’s annual rankings, Delaware is the best state for retirees to thanks to its high-quality healthcare, light tax burden, affordable homeowner insurance and good weather.

Bankrate’s analysis, which considered affordability, overall well-being, the cost and quality of health care, and crime rates for each U.S. state, found that Florida, often considered a retirement hotspot, ranked eighth for the second year in a row. It was behind Delaware, West Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi and Pennsylvania.

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“Ten years ago, Florida would’ve been a no-brainer for retirement. But with skyrocketing home prices, property taxes and homeowners insurance, it’s worth taking a pause to make sure you can afford the retirement lifestyle you want in Florida,” Bankrate analyst Alex Gailey told Newsweek.

While Florida is no longer in the top five, it’s still number eight in Bankrate’s ranking—meaning that it’s still among the most appealing states for American retirees.

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“Florida is a warmer state with several beautiful beaches and golf courses, which are attractive for retirees. It also ranks well in terms of overall well-being and crime,” Gailey said.

“A big perk of flocking to Florida for retirement is that there is no state tax on retirement income like Social Security, pension funds, 401(k)s or IRA. Healthcare costs are also more affordable in Florida compared to the rest of the country, and the quality of healthcare falls in the middle of the pack,” he added.

But the state falls short in other ways for retirees, with its high home prices, high property taxes, high sales tax and high homeowners insurance.

“All of that has risen dramatically in Florida in the last few years,” Gailey said. “Florida is also subject to a lot of natural disasters, particularly hurricanes and flooding, which can be financially devastating.”

The bottom line, according to Gailey, is that Florida isn’t as affordable as it once was for retirees. “Retirees wanting to move to Florida for sunny winters, beaches and affordable health care may have to sacrifice in other areas,” he said.

Why Is Florida No Longer A Retirement Haven?

“Florida has long reigned as the retirement capital of the U.S., thanks to its beachfront living, world-class golf, and stunning ocean views. However, there is a dark side to the Sunshine State,” Kris Bruynson, VP of Marketing and Product for Moneywise, told Newsweek.

“With a considerable strain on overpopulation, increasing hurricane threats, and—most notably—skyrocketing housing and food costs, retirees are being driven away from the state,” he added. “To maintain the same lifestyle as before, newcomers now require significantly larger savings, prompting seniors to rethink their retirement plans.”

In a recent Moneywise survey, Florida was ranked tenth in a list of the states with the highest risk of elderly bankruptcy. The Sunshine State’s estimated risk score was 54.23.

Bruynson said that while Florida ranked 23rd in overall cost of living in their survey, the study uncovered that a staggering one-quarter of the state’s seniors live below 150 percent of the poverty line, ranking it 7th in elderly poverty nationwide.

“Several metro areas in Florida have experienced some of the nation’s fastest-rising inflation. This rapid increase has placed immense pressure on retirees, mainly due to a 73.5 percent surge in home prices over the past five years.”

Utility bills also disproportionately impact seniors, and Florida’s annual electricity costs currently average $2,069—28 percent higher than the national figure.

“Combined with transportation and food expenses reaching $9,300 annually and healthcare costs at $9,501, the financial strain is evident,” said Bruynson.

“Floridian retirees are facing a perfect storm of financial pressures. Housing, utility, and living expenses alone create a challenging environment for seniors, even before factoring in debt, property maintenance, or insurance,” he added.

Will Retirees Stop Flocking To Florida?

The Sunshine State currently has one of the highest shares of people aged 62 and above compared to its population—but that might change in the future.

“If home prices, property taxes and homeowners insurance rates keep climbing, I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida eventually starts losing some of its luster as a retirement hotspot,” Gailey said.

According to Bruynson, Florida’s popularity as a retirement haven is already showing signs of cooling, with a 0.2 percent drop in out-of-state retirees between 2021 and 2023.

“The increasing challenges in Florida could slow retiree migration, but it’s difficult to predict a significant drop,” he said.

“The state’s overall allure will likely continue attracting seniors, but we may see a shift in the types of retirees moving there. Those with larger budgets may still be drawn to the state, but those on fixed incomes might explore alternative locations.”