The families of two 13-year-old boys were plunged into a state of shock after receiving the devastating news that they drowned on Friday in the vicinity of Jamaica Bay, Queens, New York.
Dead are Daniel Udesh Persaud of 129-02 5th Avenue, Richmond Hill, New York, and Ryan Wong, also of Richmond Hill. Both boys are from Guyanese parents.
Based on reports received, the teenagers were best friends and on the day in question, they both decided to skip school and instead go to the bay with other friends. As they were reportedly swimming, the boys were sucked into the main channel by the current of the water.
The other friends reportedly dialled 911 for assistance. After several hours of search, the bodies were retrieved. An aunt of Persaud, Karen Samaroo when contacted explained that her nephew was only supposed to attend school for the first half day.
“Apparently, since they had to go to school for only half-day, he and his best friend, Ryan decided to go to Jamaica Bay. It was while swimming, that they went underwater and never resurfaced. The family received the news a few hours later… this is so devastating for the family,” the aunt stated.
She noted that her nephew was a disciplined and brilliant young man. “He has never skipped school before… we don’t know what happened on Friday, but his death is something, we cannot get over… he was a gem… someone who was always caring and loving…” Samaroo added.
His parents, she posited, are still in a state of shock. “They cannot talk… they just zoomed out of everything that is happening around them… it is just tragic…”
In fact, hours after the young men were found, Samantha Persaud, Daniel’s mother posted on her Facebook, “Our son you left us today…I am lost for words and my soul is bleeding and our hearts are shattered … our Daniel went away today … oh God, I don’t know how we will live past today or any other day… my son, my handsome smart son Daniel Persaud, you left your family my son … sleep high my prince Daniel mommy loves you so much… you were only 13 years old and went out to a beach to have fun and it carried you away from us”.
Meanwhile, Pix11 News reported that the boys were among a group of five friends who were celebrating the start of summer when they decided to go to the beach in Queens, an uncle of one of the boys told the New York Daily News.
“Yesterday was the last day of school and they were just trying to have a good time, messing around like kids do,” Michael Rachel stated. “They were out on the rocks but when the tide comes in you couldn’t see them. They’re gone. We’re suffering,” he told the NYDN.
The portion of the beach they were at was unguarded and not all of the kids knew how to swim, a Police source told the New York Post.
“This happens all the time…they walked in the water about one to two feet deep, then the channel suddenly drops six to 10 feet deep, and some of these kids could not swim,” the Police source told the Post. The young man leaves to mourn his parents, two sisters and one brother. He was the third of the four siblings.
