As the water crashed softly into the sand on Jamaica Bay, a family stood on the shores in tears, rocked by a tragedy in these waters just a few days ago.
“Devastating. This is probably the greatest loss for our whole family,” said Karen Roopnauth at the vigil for his cousin Daniel Persaud.
Balloons with messages for Persaud, a 13-year-old boy who died in the bay on Friday, were released. Candles were lit. Flowers were dropped in the water.
“Keep attached to your kids and know what they’re doing,” said his mom, Samantha Sing, through tears.
What You Need To Know
- Two 13-year-old boys died after a sandbar collapsed where they were wading in Jamaica Bay on Friday
- The family of Daniel Persaud said five boys had decided to skip school to enjoy the water. Three made it back to shore
- On Monday, the family of Daniel Persaud held a vigil in his memory, releasing balloons into the sky
- He and Ryan Wong, the other boy who died, will be buried this week
Sing said her son, along with four other teens, went to Jamaica Bay to enjoy the water.
Police say the victims were not swimming in the water but were standing on a sandbar when it collapsed. It’s an area with a sign warning of danger.
Persaud and another 13-year-old, Ryan Wong, died.
Three other boys were rescued.
“We can’t teach him to drive. We can’t see him get married or have a child,” said Sing.
Roopnauth called Persaud a sweet boy, who wanted to get into robotics.
“We’re hardly holding on right now,” she said.
At the vigil, they dropped flowers into the water, sent balloons into the sky, where they say Daniel is looking down on them.