Young Rescuers Carry the Weight of Belize River Tragedy

They are young men trained to save lives, but on Friday, the members of the 501 Lifeguard Rescue Team were called to do something even heavier: help a family face the unknown. A special needs teenager had vanished beneath the Belize River after reportedly fleeing a swarm of bees, and without hesitation, the team went in. They battled dangerous currents, fatigue, injuries, and fading hope, driven by one purpose: to bring her home. The outcome has left a deep ache, but days later, the same compassion that carried them into the river continues to guide their service. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The young men of the 501 Lifeguard Rescue Team are being praised as local heroes, and for good reason. On Friday, they did not hesitate when called to search for Xue Liu, a special needs teenager who jumped into the Belize River while trying to escape a swarm of bees. For three and a half hours, they pushed through the deep, murky water, hoping to bring her back alive. But the search ended in tragedy when they recovered her lifeless body. Today, the team is still carrying the weight of that moment, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

 

Shaun Eck, Lifeguard, 501 Lifeguard

“I was rushing to get into the water and I saw the wires, but it looks like a wire was in the water holding the stones, so when I walked in it cut underneath and I felt it. But I decided to stay and help with the search.”

 

At only sixteen-years-old, high school student Shaun Eck braved dangerous water, with an injured foot, to support his teammates.

 

Shaun Eck

“I knew they needed more help and I didn’t feel the injury at the time, so I just had to push through and do my job and I trained for this.”

 

During his summer break, Shaun Eck is back in the pool, this time helping teach children to swim alongside Andrew Gentle and Tevin Conorque, the same instructors who taught him as a child. Seven-year-old Alistaire Gillett is an autistic swimming student with the club. Alistaire’s aunt, Rhonisha Waight, says he has been progressing very well.

 

Rhonisha Waight, Aunt of Student

“They believe that any child is capable of being taught. So, I do think it is something important, because as children, as individuals that have learning disabilities, they are not able to express themselves. You always have to be there, and you might not always be there. So, for them to be able to do that, I think that is something good.”

 

The instructors tailor Alistaire’s lessons with patience and the belief that children with special needs can, and should, learn how to swim.

 

Tevon Conorque, Instructor, Coach Andrew Swimming Club

“Some of them might not learn right away for the first class, but due to muscle memory and the strength they gain as they get older, they learn and for me, by the fact that I could give a kid the skill of swimming that makes me feel happy, because probably in the future I save that kid’s life.”

 

Andrew Gentle, Head Instructor, Coach Andrew Swimming Club

“My mom use to work at Stella Maris School for the past eighteen years. That is his sister. He is my uncle. She taught us a lot, especially with patients. Patients are one of the key things as a swimming coach. We go around a lot. We volunteer; we teach. We teach with the Hub, we go to the YWCA. That is the reason why we are here today. Because Tevin started. I started swimming classes in 2014, and Tevin told me neph do you want to continue this thing and I said I love it. The smile on these kids’ faces really helps us a lot.”

 

They started by teaching children how to swim. Today, they are part of a trained rescue team called on in moments of crisis. On Friday, members of the 501 Lifeguard Rescue Team joined the Coast Guard in the search for Xue Liu. But even with their training and experience, the heartbreaking outcome is something they are still struggling to process.

 

Tevon Conorque

“I was a bit lost after the whole incident. This is not the first time I am dealing with someone who is drowning. It is the first time I am dealing with a dead body but I was already mentally prepared for it.”

 

Shaun Eck

“It hurts to think about because I also have a sister, a siblings close to that age. So it really hurts me, especially since I saw it firsthand. But I am getting through it slowly, which is good.”

 

Though the river left behind painful memories, the spirit of these young rescuers remains unchanged, quietly serving their community one life at a time. Reporting for News Five, I am, Paul Lopez.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: