High School Senior Found Dead After Swimming in N.J. Lake Was on 'Scavenger Hunt That Went Astray’
“It is with great sadness that after just over 17 hours of tedious and demanding work by many first responders, Victor has been recovered,” an official said on Monday
GoFundMe
Victor RodriguezA New Jersey teen died while attempting to swim across a local lake as part of a school scavenger hunt, according to loved ones.
Victor Rodriguez, 18, disappeared Sunday night while swimming across Alcyon Lake in Pitman, according to NBC affiliate WCAU and CBS affiliate KYW-TV.
At the time, he was participating "in a scavenger hunt that went astray," according to a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of his family.
Chief Dan McAteer of the Pitman Police Department (PPD) said two individuals attempted to help Rodriguez, who “became submerged” in the water during his swim, per WCAU. The pair returned to shore a short time later, after they “quickly” became “overwhelmed themselves.”
Rodriguez’s body was pulled from the lake on Monday, Mayor Michael Razze said in a statement. “It is with great sadness that after just over 17 hours of tedious and demanding work by many first responders, Victor has been recovered,” the statement read.
The PPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Swimming is not allowed at Alcyon Lake, which McAteer said is about 10 to 12 feet deep, according to NJ.com.
McAteer said the lake’s grassy bottom made it difficult for divers to search the area. “It's very thick,” the chief told WCAU. “Deeply rooted but comes very close to the surface.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
At the time he went missing, Rodriguez was just three days away from graduating from Pitman High School, WCAU reported.
Sean Powell, a senior at Pitman High School, told WCAU that the scavenger hunt is a tradition of the high school seniors that has been going on for more than 15 years.
"One of the challenges is to swim across the lake for points. You get points for it,” Powell said. “You gotta record it, and unfortunately something tragic happened."
Related: N.Y.C. Firefighter Drowns at N.J. Beach After Rescuing His Daughter: 'We Are Heartbroken'
Rodriguez was a “standout” on Pitman High School’s wrestling team, McAteer said, according to NJ.com, earning a 30-8 record with the team, which took the Tri-County Conference Classic Division title this school year.
Exams at Pitman High School were canceled for both Monday and Tuesday, and will not be rescheduled.
A vigil for Rodriguez was held Monday night at the United Methodist Church in Pitman, according to NJ.com.
As of Tuesday morning, more than $45,000 has been raised via GoFundMe to support Rodriguez’s family following the teen’s sudden death.
“For those of you who know Victor, he deserves only the best,” read a message on the fundraising page. “In this hard time, we ask you to show him the same love he offered everyone else.”
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
