For the family of Darwin Gray, the loss of their loved one, although painful, has been made more bearable with the discovery this morning of his body in the Mopan River, near the Benque border. His body was not discovered in the general area in which he was last seen when he attempted to cross the river Monday night.
Darwin reportedly had gone across to Melchor De Mencos with some friends and they were returning back to Belize. But instead of coming across the border in a normal way, they decided to swim across the river.
Darwin, the father of an infant daughter, lived with his family on Flamboyant Street, in the Lake Independence area of Belize City.
He left Belize City sometime on Monday along with a friend to go to Melchor. His family had no idea that something had happened to him until a Hispanic man went to their home Tuesday night and told them that they were crossing the river when Darwin went down and did not resurface.
According to one of his sisters, Stephanie, Darwin was working on Caye Caulker as a seller of carvings.
He is survived by his mother, Rosita Gray; father, Harrington Gray; three sisters, four brothers, and one step-brother. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 17, at the Lake Independence Baptist Church, where his body will lie in state.