Yesterday evening (June 19), it was reported that the body of a Black Louisiana student-athlete was found after he went missing while tubing in Idaho over a week ago. Twenty-one-year-old Everette Jackson was a basketball player at LSU Eunice. The school delivered the devastating news just before 5 p.m.
“It is with great sadness that we have learned that the body of Everette Jackson has been found. We will share funeral arrangements after he returns home and they are made available,” LSUE said in a tweet. “Please keep Everette’s family and loved ones in your prayers in the coming days and weeks,” they continued.
On June 11, Jackson was on a weekend tubing trip in Emmett, Idaho with his girlfriend. According to family members, the pair missed their exit and tried to paddle back to a dock before being carried away by a strong current. His girlfriend grabbed a nearby branch for safety, however, the student-athlete was forcefully swept away.
A witness told authorities that Jackson went underwater and never resurfaced in the Payette River. On June 13, ABC affiliate WBRZ 2 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana stated that officials urged the public to stay away from the area. The Gem County Sheriff’s Office noted that the water was too dangerous for anyone who was not in a motorized boat. Search and rescue teams combed the area using jet skis and jet boats.
Yesterday, the Gem County Sheriff’s Office shared that a volunteer found the 21-year-old’s body approximately two miles downstream from where he was last seen. His body was identified by family members who flew in from Louisiana to assist in the search.
Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this very difficult time.” He added, “We are grateful to all of the emergency responders and volunteers who made this recovery possible.”