by Alicia Cruz The Black Urban Times
What began as an innocent swim after celebrating a long, hot Memorial Day, turned into a nightmare for the family and friends of 18 year-old Brian Lynch who drowned in the Delaware River last year.
A little after 8 PM on May 25, 2009, Lynch, his girlfriend Kayce Rehl and some friends decided to head to an abandoned train trestle which runs between Upper Mount Bethel and Knowlton townships. A lot pf people have used the trestle as a dive-off point into the river.
Lynch, who was apprehensive about jumping off of the trestle, ended up doing so after Rehl and her friends jumped off. Rehl said she initially mistook Brian's distress while in the water for fun-splashing, but soon realized that he was in trouble.
The father of one of the friends swam out to rescue Lynch. When he reached him, the parent screamed, "I got him, I found him." He grabbed Lynch's arm, but they were both pulled under the water.
The father resurfaced, but somehow lost his grip of the teens arm and the young man slipped back under the water. That was the last time anyone saw Lynch. After police were alerted about the drowning, an extensive search ensued, but did not produce the body or any other remains of Lynch.
Several months later the family was given a small glimmer of closure after Northampton County Coroner, Zachary Lysek, identified a leg found by a fisherman in the Deleware River as that of Lynch.
Pamela Rasul, Lynch's aunt, said her family was able to gain some closure through a memorial service held at Lynch's grandmother's church in Rahway, N.J.
"It was just very disturbing that it took seven months to get the result of the DNA testing," said Rasul. "Just that wait time, it was disturbing."
Rasul said "We were overjoyed and overwhelmed at the amount of people at the service which was a traditional Baptist funeral. Those who attended the memorial paid their respects while viewing an 11-by-14 photo of Lynch.
Rasul said she has not completely given up hope that the remainder of her nephew's remains will be found.
Last week Lysek organized a meeting of emergency responders requesting that they conduct systematic searches of the Delaware River when "conditions are favorable."
Lysek said the river vegetation isn't as thick this time of year and may aid them in finding additional parts.
Rasul said that the family will continue to pray about it.
"Ideally we would like to be able to recover Brian's remains. I don't know if we'll ever have total closure."
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