24 year-old Belize City resident Keron Michael Jeffords was laid to rest this evening after his body was retrieved from the Belize River in Isabella Bank.
On Sunday afternoon at around 3:00 he went under and didn't resurface. Jeffords was having his birthday party in the village on Owen Hendy's farm, and sometime during the festivities, everyone jumped in the river.
They tried to swim across to the other bank, and Jeffords, who was out in front, was swept away by the strong current before he realized that it was too strong for him to safely swim through.
Police, Port Authority, BDF and Coast Guard had been searching for his body since Sunday, and at around 7:00 this morning, they finally found him. After he was medically examined, the family, who has ties to Isabella Bank made preparations for his immediate burial.
7News as there and we spoke the family about the tragedy of his sudden passing - on his birthday, no less, and here's what they had to say:
Ilona Jeffords, Mother of deceased
"It was his birthday the 18th May on Sunday, so he said that he was going to enjoy himself. He went swimming because he was filled with food and that's what caused his death because he was filled with food. People said that they heard him yelling for help and they said that they saw him went down with his hands up. One of his hands is off. It looks like an animal must have eaten his hand."
"When I heard the news I was eating and I stop eating and I dropped. I couldn't believe because my son was always at home. I don't know how I will forget him, I ask God to give the strength to live."
Jeffords was buried this evening at 5 o'clock at the Eternal Garden Cemetery at mile 13 on the Western Highway.
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