A community is mourning and rallying around an Arizona family following last week’s drowning at Bear Lake that claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy.
Friends and fellow church members said Gideon Rowles’ sudden death has been heartbreaking for everyone who knew him.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement reported that Rowles was using a paddleboard at Ideal Beach, June 6, when he fell into the water. The teenager was reportedly not wearing a life jacket and became separated from the board.
Emergency personnel quickly responded to the scene and recovered Rowles from the water. Crews immediately attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
In the wake of the unexpected loss, community members have organized a GoFundMe campaign to assist the Rowles family as they navigate their grief and mounting financial burdens. The collected funds are explicitly designated to help cover immediate funeral expenses and the significant travel costs required to transport Rowles back to his home state of Arizona, which will serve as his final resting place.
Campaign organizers wrote, “As friends and church members, we have witnessed the strength and kindness of (the Rowles) family, and now, in their time of need, we want to rally around them with support and love.”
In a statement expressing their deep gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and expressions of love, the Rowles family announced their intention to pay the public’s generosity forward. Should the memorial campaign raise more money than is needed for the funeral and transportation, the family plans to donate the excess funds to a newly established scholarship fund or to another family navigating a similar tragedy.