A 12-year-old boy from Long Island tragically lost his life on Wednesday after a rafting accident during a school excursion to Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Cesar Albarracin Guncay, a sixth-grade student at Pierson Middle School in Sag Harbor, was among five individuals, including at least one adult, aboard an inflatable raft on the Lehigh River in Carbon County when the vessel overturned around 5:30 p.m. The incident occurred during the school's annual guided field trip, as confirmed by the Carbon County Coroner's Office in a press release.
The capsizing threw all occupants into the water, but Guncay failed to resurface. Divers later retrieved the boy from the river, and emergency services transported him to a nearby park, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 6:50 p.m. An autopsy later determined that the cause of death was accidental drowning. Authorities believe Guncay was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident, though the investigation remains ongoing, according to NBC News.
School and Community Mourn
District superintendent Jeff Nichols expressed profound grief in an email to families on Wednesday, as reported by NBC New York. "There are no words to adequately express the depth of this loss," Nichols wrote. "Cesar was a cherished member of our school family, a child who mattered deeply to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His absence will leave an irreplaceable space in our classrooms, our hallways, and our lives." He added, "Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Cesar's family and friends during this very sad time. We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers."
Fundraiser and Family Tributes
A GoFundMe campaign established for Guncay's family remembers him as "a kind, handsome and athletic 6th grader, a friend to many and a beloved neighborhood kid here in Sag Harbor." The fundraiser aims to "support the family" and had accumulated over $207,000 toward a $350,000 goal as of Friday.
Guncay's cousin, speaking to NBC New York, revealed that the boy had moved from Ecuador to the United States three years ago, arriving ahead of his parents. He was eagerly anticipating the rafting portion of the school trip. Fighting back tears, the cousin described Guncay as a soccer and art enthusiast who had learned English and was pursuing the American dream.
