FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — Several agencies in Jefferson Township spent hours searching Saturday night and Sunday for a 19-year-old man who did not resurface after going underwater in the Blacklick area near Kesegs Way.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office identified him as Christian A. Harrison.
"It's one of the largest retention ponds that we find in subdivisions, it's better than average size for what this area would be," Jefferson Township Fire Chief Bradford Shull said.
A heartbreaking discovery, Franklin County Sheriff's Office said Harrison was found Sunday.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jim Gilbert and Jefferson Township Fire Chief Bradford Shull said youth group of about 15 to 20 young adults were having a gathering Saturday night.
"They're traumatized," said Pastor Chip Richardson, the incoming lead pastor at The Vineyard Community Church near Reynoldsburg.
Richardson said the youth group, part of The Vineyard Community Church, were student leaders who wanted to hold a prom party for high school students who were not able to go because of COVID-19.
"All I know is that he fell out of a canoe, nobody there knew he couldn't swim," Richardson said.
The group noticed Harrison did not come back from under the water.
"We're a congregation of about 300 people; we're close-knit here," Richardson said.
"So they've got that that will help get them through this," Richardson said.
"It wasn't a sanctioned church event but it was something I did know about and it was going to be outside because of the virus," Pastor Richardson said.
The Sheriff's Office Chaplain and other pastors were also there to provide comfort to the group and their families during this tragedy.
The pastor said Harrison will always be remembered for lighting up any room he walked into.
"He was the kind of guy that wanted to show everybody how much more he could do than the next person," Pastor Richardson said.