Man Dies After Jumping Into Georgia's Lake Lanier
A 27-year-old man has died after jumping into a lake that has claimed hundreds of lives over the last three decades.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources learned that someone had drowned on Saturday in a residential cove on Lake Lanier in Forsyth County.
The individual was identified as Ramon Diaz-Soria.
Witnesses say Diaz-Soria jumped into the lake, but the life jacket he wore was not properly secured.
“Once in the water, he went under and did not resurface, leaving his life jacket floating on the surface," the DNR reported.
Game wardens began searching for Diaz-Soria on Saturday afternoon and suspended their search after dark, only to resume it the following day. On Sunday, his body was found in 60 feet of water. A drowning and water death report noted that Diaz-Soria was unable to swim, according to People.
The victim was on a boat to celebrate a friend's birthday.
His sister told Fox affiliate WAGA that his friends "couldn't find him" when he went into the water. She noted that they acted quickly when they realized he was missing, but they were unable to see and couldn't get to him in time.
“Ramon was everything to me,” she said in a statement posted to a GoFundMe account established to support the family.
"He wasn’t just my brother—he was my best friend, my protector, and my biggest supporter. Anyone who knew him would tell you how kind, generous, funny, and full of light he was. He was always looking out for others, always ready to lend a helping hand. Helping people wasn’t just something he did—it’s who he was.”
The family has raised over $16,000 after Diaz-Soria's tragic passing, and they are more than halfway to their goal of $30,000 to assist with funeral costs.
Over 200 people have died at Lake Lanier since 1984, according to the Georgia DNR and USA TODAY. Most of those deaths have been caused by drowning, with boating accidents also accounting for fatalities.
Rest in peace to Ramon Diaz-Soria, and we send condolences to his friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.