A community gathered above the Passaic River in Passaic, New Jersey, for a vigil to honor two 10-year-old friends who tragically drowned last week, according to a report by Eyewitness News. The gathering brought mourners together to remember the two children.
Family members for both of the young victims attended the vigil, though they were not ready to discuss their pain publicly, according to the report. They were joined by about 100 other mourners.
The mourners dropped blue and pink rose petals into the Passaic River on Sunday, according to Eyewitness News. Organizers had called for flower petals to be dropped into the water instead of releasing balloons into the air, which they said is not good for the environment.
One of the victims, a young girl, had her body found after three agonizing days, according to the report. The search ended about half a mile downriver from where she disappeared.
The other victim, a 10-year-old boy, was discovered on Wednesday night shortly after help arrived, according to Eyewitness News. Both children were remembered by those who came to the riverside gathering.
Mourners were told the boy died a hero, pushing his 11-year-old sister to the rocks so she could escape the raging waters, according to the report. He himself could not find his footing in the water.
Many in the crowd did not know the two 10-year-old children personally but came to share the family's grief, according to Eyewitness News. A former preschool teacher remembered one of the children, and the reporter said the devastated families were not alone in their grief.