Community Rallies Around Family Of Teen Who Died Saving Brothers

MIDDLETOWN, CT — The community is rallying around the family of a 17-year-old boy who drowned to death last week while trying to save his two younger brothers. Khailon Rivers, of Middletown, went missing just before 5 p.m. last Monday after entering the water near Haddam Meadows State Park to help his two younger brothers who were in distress, according to NBC Connecticut.

The search was called off Monday night due to darkness and resumed Tuesday and Wednesday, when his body was recovered.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support the family with funeral expenses.

“On July 20th our family lost a huge part of us,” organizers wrote in a post on the GoFundMe page. “Our dear Khailon Rivers jumped in the water to save his two little brothers from drowning and he got pulled under and didn’t have enough strength to come back up. Khailon was the funniest most caring person ever. One thing Khailon cherished the most was his family. This death was very unexpected and a true tragedy. Anything anyone can donate will help us put our baby boy to rest.”

Rivers was a student at Middletown High School who had hopes of moving on to higher education to study medicine, according to the Middletown Press.

The GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $15,000 as of Monday afternoon.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the GoFundMe page here.