Amari Quarles.Photo:GoFundme
GoFundme
A California teenager is being remembered for his big heart and heroic actions after he died trying to save his younger brother from a rushing river.
The Sacramento Fire Department (SFD) said the teen and two other individuals entered the Sacramento River on Sunday to fetch a football,FOX affiliate KTXLandCBS affiliate KOVRreported.
The boys’ mother, Yolanda Sashe, said she jumped in the water in hopes of helping both her children, per the report. She managed to reach Amari, but was unable to save him.
“I looked down at him and I looked up and I felt his hands drop,” she told the outlet. “Something came and pulled him away from me and he was gone.”
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Amari Quarles, according to online records.
“My son died a hero,” father James Sashe wrote on aGoFundMe campaignset up on behalf of the grieving family.
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Amari recently moved to California “to be around family,” according to his father. The teenager “was a straight A student” at Natomas High School, he added.
The Natomas Unified School District paid tribute to Amari in aFacebook postthat included a link to the family’s GoFundMe.
“Sunday, NUSD lost one of our students,” the district wrote. “It is a horrible tragedy and the family could use your help.”
Rescue swimmers “had to rotate quite frequently” while attempting to locate the missing teen in the water, Sylvia said. “It gets very tiring when you’re out there searching for someone and trying to swim in that current,” he added.
As of Wednesday morning, over $17,000 has been raised for the family.
source: people.com
