It is every parent's worst nightmare: a child goes missing, only to be found dead.
This was the case when two boys were found dead this week, having drowned while swimming at the Willow Dam in Kariega.
Lorenzo Marais, 6, and Miquel Baartman, 8, were best friends who went for a swim on Sunday afternoon, but never returned.
Their little bodies were recovered, found side by side, with their fingers miraculously still entwined, after an intense two-day search.
Lorenzo’s family said on Wednesday that they were still coming to terms with what had happened.
Miquel’s relatives, meanwhile, said they were still processing the little boy’s death and could not speak to the media at this stage.
Lorenzo’s aunt, Charlene Daniels, 43, described how they went looking for the boys.
“We couldn’t find them until community members spotted them in the water on Tuesday,” she said.
“It was heartbreaking. Lorenzo’s mother almost collapsed. It was too hard for her to take in.
“The two boys were holding hands as if they were trying to rescue each other.”
Daniels said the boys were always full of energy — and always together.
“They were always laughing, always joking around. It’s hard to believe they’re not here any more, and every moment without them feels like a bad dream.
“I don’t know how to explain it.
“I just want them back. I want to hear their voices again. I want to see their faces.
“It’s a pain that you can’t describe. I just want them to come home.”
Tragically, we doubt this will be the last time families lose loved ones to drownings, many of which are preventable.
As the weather warms up heading into summer, many will flock to water bodies including rivers, dams, pools and the ocean to cool off, increasing the risk of drowning.
In addition, the festive season and the frivolities that come with it often means some of us throw caution to the wind and this includes going in the water while intoxicated.
So it is imperative that we do all we can to keep ourselves safe and being able to swim is just the first step.
Water safety needs to be drilled into each and every person from a young age and this includes how to behave in and around water, the importance of obeying lifeguards and, perhaps most importantly, never swimming alone.
HeraldLIVE
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