16-year-old Bellefonte Area High School student dies while swimming in Raystown Lake
A Bellefonte Area High School student died Saturday in a swimming accident at Raystown Lake, principal Mike Fedisson told families in a message.
Nathan Dan was part of the Bellefonte Area School District community since elementary school and touched the lives of many, Fedisson wrote. He was an athlete who was a member of the lacrosse team.
“The passing of such a bright and energetic young individual is an immense loss that has left a void in all of us,” Fedisson wrote.
State police in Huntingdon County were dispatched to the 7000 block of Susquehannock Road in Penn Township at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday after a report that a 16-year-old boy went underwater while swimming and did not resurface. After a search that included Smithfield Fire Company, Marklesburg Fire Company, the coroner’s office, Fish and Boat Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers, the teen’s body was found in the water, state police wrote in a public information report.
In the note to families, Fedisson said counseling services would be available at the school on Monday as students and staff grieve. Scheduled Keystone Exam testing on Monday will also be postponed.
Parents who think their child needs extra support coping with the loss are encouraged to contact administration or guidance staff.
“We offer our deepest sympathies to Nathan’s family,” Fedisson wrote. “Please join us in remembering Nathan and keeping his family in your thoughts during this incredibly challenging time.”
