Two teenage stepbrothers who drowned while swimming in Sanford, Maine, were found holding onto each other.
In July last year, Tavayne Weir, 17, and his stepbrother, D’andre Graham, 16, told their family they were going swimming at the Springvale Recreation Area, a popular spot known for cliff jumping. When they missed their 10 p.m. curfew, their parents called police, who found their car but no sign of the boys.
After a search, firefighters discovered their bodies underwater about 90 minutes later. “Using flashlights and high-intensity lights, they were able to locate them below the water,” said Major Matthew Gagne of the Sanford Police Department.
Officials said it was unclear whether the teens had been jumping or swimming, but there was a light current in the area.
A family GoFundMe page said the boys “showed incredible courage and loyalty, holding on to each other until the very end.” Tavayne and D’andre, who grew up together in Jamaica, “were more than stepbrothers — they were true brothers.”