MIAMI – The family members of a young man who went overboard while on a chartered boat on Friday night are grieving his loss and asking for support.
Trevon Darling had just turned 21 and planned a party with friends and loved ones to celebrate, relatives said.
The fashion designer, who sewed elaborate dresses and jackets by hand, was also a talented chef and devoted to family.
“Always wanted to make his mom happy. His mom and his siblings [were] his life,” said his mother, Lashawna Akins-Taylor.
According to the Miami-Dade officers, initial reports indicated Darling jumped off the boat and into the Miami River.
The captain reportedly turned the boat around to get to him and some passengers went into the water to try to save him as others called 911.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue divers arrived and pulled Darling from the water before rushing him to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“It seemed like I was so far to get to him. I’m used to helping my nephews and my nieces and I couldn’t get down here fast enough,” said aunt Tawana Akins.
Detectives are investigating.
“I’m just stuck with a lot of unanswered questions. I just miss my son. He was my everything,” Akins-Taylor said.
Tawana Akins set up a GoFundMe page to ask the public for help with funeral expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/remembering-trevon-darling-trey-reyes?qid=0bd143cad5ea25712ee89c056546bc72