21-year-old Congo refugee drowns in Lake Erie, officials say

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - The family of a young man who drowned in Ohio is remembering him as a dutiful son with a beautiful heart.

According to officials, 21-year-old Jeremie Byiringiro died Wednesday after drowning in Lake Erie at Edgewater Park.

Byiringiro’s family said he went to the park with friends and did not know how to swim.

WOIO reported that Byiringiro had been in the Cleveland area with his parents and six siblings for over a year. However, he was raised in a refugee camp in the Congo, also known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Byiringiro’s father, Safari Kanyamibwa, who does not speak English, told WOIO with the help of an interpreter that the loss is devastating.

“We miss him so much and we wish he could come back,” Kanyamibwa said.

Byiringiro was 21-years-old and in high school working to get his diploma.

“His goal was to go to school, finish his high school diploma and because of the situation with the family he wanted to go to work first to help them financially, and then maybe go to college,” Mitterand Damien, Byiringiro’s friend, said.

Byiringiro was one of the few in his family who knew how to speak English.

Damien said he wanted to be his family’s voice and help them live their dream in America.

“His goal was to help his family buy a house for them,” said Damien.

But now, his grieving family is trying to find the money to give him a proper funeral.

A GoFundMe account has been set up by friends who hope to raise the funds to pay for the funeral home by the end of the week.

“I wish he could know that we miss him so much, and I will do my best to help his family too,” Damien said.

What may be most difficult now for his family is trying to navigate through life in the U.S. and the English language without Byiringiro.

“It was very hard for them to survive in this country with no English,” Damien said.

As of Sunday, the GoFundMe has raised over $3,000 of its $11,000 goal.

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