Ella Riley Adler's father pays moving tribute to his ballerina daughter, 15, who was killed in hit-and-run boat crash telling funeral mourners: 'Mommy and I said you got the best of us' as authorities offer $20,000 reward to find killer

The father of a teenager who was tragically killed in a boating accident last weekend wrote in a heartbreaking letter that he and his wife always say that their daughter 'got the best parts of both us.'

Matthew Adler's message was read out Monday at the Miami funeral of Ella Riley Adler, 15. Rabbi Jonathan Berkun, who led the service, called Ella 'a star, a force of nature.'

'You were taken from us way to soon, and the world has been robbed of all the things you could have achieved. But you will always be here with us and your friends and family will carry your energy and spirit forever,' he added.  

Mourners have been remembering Ella, the granddaughter of the US Ambassador to Belgium, Michael Adler, as a prodigious ballerina who one day aspired to become the President of the United States. 

In the aftermath of her death on Saturday, officials in Florida are offering a reward of $20,000 that leads to information on her killer. 

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Ella died Saturday as she was being towed by a boat after water skiing at Nixon Beach in Key Biscayne when she was struck by a boat, which quickly fled the scene of the tragedy.

Ella's (center) devastated family described her as a 'force of nature' who 'loved to dance', and she was a celebrated local ballerina with the Miami City Ballet 

Ella's casket is seen being carried by members of the temple 

Friends and family attended Ella's funeral Monday morning Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach

Police canvassed the marinas near the scene of the hit and run on Monday, but they haven't yet located the boater. Authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for anyone who can provide information about the person who struck the teenage girl with their boat and sped off

Crime Stoppers said in a statement that the boat could be anywhere in the region as the investigation continues. There is one family, one group of friends, whose Mother's Day and life has been changed forever!,' the agency said in a statement. 

In her obituary, it's mentioned that Ella's great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors as is her Jewish pride.

In addition to her dancing activities, Ella was a member of the Ransom Everglades Jewish Students Association. 

Ella appeared in over 100 different productions of The Nutcracker with the Miami City Ballet and recently appeared in a school production of Chicago. 

'We must remember her as she would have wanted to be remembered, as a star, a force of nature, a glowing and gorgeous young woman who was loved, admired, cherishes and adored by more people than anyone her age would normally be,' Rabbi Jonathan Berkum said Monday, reports the Miami Herald. 

'To have known Ella her entire life, as I have been blessed, is to know just how wrong and unfair it is for us to have lost her so soon,' he continued.

'Her death is enough to make us question our faith.... God did not do this. Rather, God is here crying bitter tears.'

The talented teenager's school said she 'shined in our classrooms and on our stages' 

Ella was a celebrated local ballerina who was cast in performances of The Nutcracker, performing over 100 times for the Miami City Ballet 

 Meanwhile, one of Ella's school friends also read out a touching statement. 

'Ella, you had so many qualities to admire. You were passionate about your faith. You loved your family. You loved your friends. And you were loved by all. I miss you so much, and I will honor your memory by never forgetting the special things about you,' she said. 

At the funeral, Ella's friends loudly cried when the Rihanna song Diamonds in the Sky was played as the teen's face appeared on a large screen with her date of birth and her death displayed. 

The funeral was held at Temple Beth Shalom. 

'It's really sad to hear. I heard she was a really nice girl, she was on the dance team, she had a lot of good friends. I can't even imagine the pain that they are going through,' a fellow student at Ransom Everglades told CBS Miami. 

'It sounded like kind of a freak accident and even worse a hit and run, that's just kind of evil, how can you not have a conscience to help the girl you just hit with your boat,' Myles Gelber said. 

Prior to becoming the ambassador to Belgium, Michael Adler served as the president of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and was on the board of Florida International University. 

Ella's obituary mentioned her love of the state of Israel. Her grandfather spoke openly of his aspiration to become the ambassador to the Jewish state. 

A first responder revealed that when they arrived on the scene of the crash (pictured), officials found 'a lot of blood in the water' 

'I don't know if he was drunk. I don't know if he was not paying attention. But you need to pay attention to the waters and open water like you pay attention to the street,' family friend Robert Strauss, told CBS Miami 

Maritime lawyer Michael Winkleman discredited a social media rumor that the driver of the boat may not know if they hit a person.

'I find that extremely hard to believe because hitting a person is a large object, you would definitely feel that especially if you are going at any type of a rate of speed. . So it’s really hard for me to imagine that,' he told NBC Miami. 

'I don't know if he was drunk. I don't know if he was not paying attention. But you need to pay attention to the waters and open water like you pay attention to the street,' family friend Robert Strauss, told CBS Miami.  

In a tragic coincidence, Ella's elementary school friend Lucy Fernandez was killed in a boating accident in the same area on Labor Day weekend in 2022. 

'I looked at my phone and I had a text from a cousin of mine, it was as if the wind just got completely sucked out of me and sucked out of the room just thinking: "Oh my God, here's another tragedy,"' Andy Fernandez told WSVN this week. 

'What was really hurting was just thinking about the Adler family and what they were going through,' he added. 

'I’m angry that this had to happen again,' Lucy's mother, Melissa, also said.  

Anyone with any information in the case is asked to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. 

On Monday, investigators said that 'significant progress' had been made in the investigation.