Santos Tiul-Chen : Tragic Drowning Incident at Church Event

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Water rescue after church youth event
2. Teen drowning incident with friends in water

Three young men tragically drowned in a Florida river after a church youth event at a lock and dam in Alva. The victims, Santos Tiul-Chen, Pedro Pascal, and Victor Leonardo Pedro Gaspar, were all members of Jesus Es La Verdad Church in Fort Myers. Neyda Velasquez, a close friend, expressed shock and disbelief at the incident, highlighting the heroic actions of the victims who tried to save their friend. Despite paramedics’ efforts, none of the young men survived. The Army Corps of Engineers has since installed new signs in English and Spanish prohibiting swimming in the area, emphasizing the dangers of the water.

The Tragic Drowning Incident at Franklin Lock and Dam

The small town of Alva, Florida, was plunged into grief as news spread of the tragic drowning incident that claimed the lives of three young men. Santos Tiul-Chen, Pedro Pascal, and Victor Leonardo Pedro Gaspar, all members of Jesus Es La Verdad Church in Fort Myers, lost their lives while visiting the Franklin Lock and Dam after a church youth event.

Remembering the Victims

The victims, aged 17, 21, and 19 respectively, were fondly remembered by their community during a poignant Sunday service. At the church, a memorial adorned with photographs and flowers serves as a touching tribute to the young men whose lives were cut short.

Neyda Velasquez, a close friend of the victims, expressed the shock and disbelief felt by everyone following the tragic incident. She recounted how a group of people, including the victims, had stayed behind to swim at the lock and dam after a church youth event earlier that day.

A Heroic Act Ends in Tragedy

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the incident unfolded when Tiul-Chen, who had no swimming experience, entered the water at the lock and began to struggle. Despite his lack of experience, Pascal courageously jumped in to try and save his friend. Gaspar, seeing his friends in distress, also swam in to help, but tragically, all three young men went under the water and did not resurface.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and attempted to save the victims, but sadly, none of them survived. Velasquez praised the bravery and selflessness of the two victims who knew how to swim, describing their actions as heroic attempts to save their drowning friend.

Community Mourns the Loss

The close-knit community of Alva was left reeling from the loss of three promising young lives. Velasquez, visibly distraught by the tragedy, recalled seeing one of the victims just days before the incident and spoke of the deep impact their deaths had on their families and friends.

In a show of support and respect for the victims, the Army Corps of Engineers installed new signs in English and Spanish at the site of the incident, warning against swimming in the area. The tragic loss of Santos Tiul-Chen, Pedro Pascal, and Victor Leonardo Pedro Gaspar serves as a somber reminder of the dangers posed by waterways, even to those who are familiar with them.