Family of Coralville father of three who drowned during Iowa River rescue organizes a GoFundMe

A family member has organized a GoFundMe for Wegayewu Faris, the 42-year-old Coralville man who drowned in the Iowa River on Friday as he helped rescue a child.

The 8-year-old child who was rescued from the river was released from the University of Iowa Hospitals on Saturday and is said to be "fine," Johnson County sheriff Brad Kunkel confirmed with the Press-Citizen.

Bethel Tewabe, Faris’ sister-in-law, organized the GoFundMe with a goal of $50,000.

According to the GoFundMe, Faris leaves behind a wife and three children, ages 6, 8 and 12, as well as “countless family members and friends located all over the U.S. and back home in Ethiopia.”

Faris was at the Iowa River on Friday to take his children fishing, according to the GoFundMe.

“Wegayewu took care of everyone around him in any way that he could," Tewabe wrote on the GoFundMe. "He had a very big heart, hardworking hands, a very determined mindset, and a smile that could brighten a dark room.”

More: Coralville man drowns in Iowa River while helping rescue 8-year-old child

Faris loved spending time with family and friends, fishing, going on walks and being in nature, according to the GoFundMe.

Tewabe said the family wants to transport Faris to Ethiopia so he can “rest at home.”

As of Monday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised over $35,000, with donors leaving messages celebrating Faris and his bravery.

Faris was a custodian at Iowa City High School, principal John Bacon said via a social media post on Saturday.

"He was kind and caring," Bacon said in an email to the Press-Citizen. "He was a friend to everyone. He took great pride in his work and he did an outstanding job at City High. He is a true hero and we will miss him deeply."

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Justin Hoehn, director of media and legislative relations at Kirkwood Community College, said Faris attended the school from 2005-08, taking English Language Learning classes. Faris returned in 2019-20 and earned an automotive technology diploma.

On Friday, Faris' body was recovered at 7:10 p.m., about an hour after law enforcement officials received a call about a possible drowning at River Junction Access in a rural part of the county. Officers who arrived discovered that the child had been rescued, that bystanders performed CPR, and the child was brought to University of Iowa Hospitals.

Officers also learned that one man who came to the child's aid was unaccounted for. They then found Faris in the water.

Witnesses told officers that the child entered the river and began struggling, and Faris went in to try to save him. A kayaker was able to get the child out of the water, but Faris submerged beneath the surface. The kayaker and another person attempted to find Faris but were unable to.

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Faris and the child are not related, the sheriff's office said. They were members of separate families who had come to the river to go fishing. Officers are crediting Faris and the kayaker as being instrumental in saving the life of the child.

This incident is under investigation by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Johnson County Conservation, Johnson County Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Patrol, Hills Fire Department, Riverside Fire Department, Lone Tree Fire Department, and the Johnson County Medical Examiner.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Coralville man who drowned in the Iowa River called a 'true hero'