‘I still feel like I’m under the water sometimes,’ Drowning survivor speaks out as community mourns

A community is mourning the deaths of three young men who drowned in the Caloosahatchee River on Saturday. 

It’s a day 21-year-old Victory Ixcoy will never forget. A day that was supposed to be filled with adventure but quickly became a tragedy. 

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It’s the day 17-year-old Santos Tiul-Chen, 19-year-old Leonardo Pedro-Gaspar, and 21-year-old Pedro Miguel Pascual all drowned.

“I still feel like I’m under the water sometimes,” said Ixcoy. “By just closing my eyes or taking a bath. When the water hits me, I just feel like everything’s going on again.”

Ixcoy tried to save three of his friends from drowning that day but realized he couldn’t when he woke up in the hospital and didn’t see them. 

“I don’t remember how I ended up there,” said Ixocy. “They said that I had a seizure, and said I was in the water for too long. I do remember. It was almost like I was losing my life also and that I died with them.”

Victor had a close relationship with all three of the victims. He describes each of them as brothers in Christ who were special to him and those around them. 

“All of them were good guys, good kids,” said Ixcoy. “They were examples to us, the young ones who were entering our church and becoming new members. They were really into the worship of God. They’re always there.”  

Throughout the pain and loss, Victor is holding onto the good times he had with each of them and is thankful to be alive. 

“They were really special, and it’s a great loss for our church,” said Ixcoy. “It’s a tremendous pain, and everybody is going through it right now, but honestly, it doesn’t feel right that I’m still here, but I’m blessed to be here.” 

The church will continue to support the victim’s families in raising funds to send their bodies back to their homeland of Guatemala.