And another family found their loved one's body in a river. Last night we told you about the Godoy/Conorquie family and their desperate search for the body of their son, 33-year-old Herwin Godoy. Godoy drowned on Sunday while trying to swim across the Grace Bank river, disappearing beneath a treacherous current while his brother looked on.
And despite the family's determined search yesterday's efforts ended fruitlessly when by 2:00 p.m. the Coast Guard had to follow protocol, pack up and go home.
They were set to launch another dive this morning, but that never happened because by 6:00 a.m, while the Godoy's were packing up to return to Grace Bank they got that fateful call. Herwin's body had been found. Tonight his family tells us they are grateful for having gotten the closure that they'd prayed for.
Natasha Requena, Cousin of Deceased
"This morning at about a little bit after 6am I got a call and from the minute I got that call, I figured something was wrong. And the person asked me if this is the family of the person who went missing. I said, "Yes ma'am." She said, "Miss unu need fi hurry come. My husband deh out deh, but I need fi go. He is up, he's up!" And I came out and I just started to scream and I tell everybody we need to go, we need to go, even though we were outside packing the van ready to leave. We got up there and that was one time I couldn't even cry. I had to be strong for everybody because that's all I wanted. All I wanted was closure and believe me we got what we wanted."
"Yesterday, just before we left, Sheppard insisted that we place a net and exactly where we placed the net, about a hundred feet or so from where he went down, his body was trapped in the net."
Reporter
"Talk to us about the family finally getting closure and to lay his remains to rest."
Natasha Requena
"I must say, we are at peace. At least we know we have a body that we can definitely lay to rest. And that's all we wanted and like I said we wanted closure and we got the closure that we wanted."
Reporter
"This morning when I heard you over the phone you were calling for a sheet to get the body covered. I know that those were chaotic moments. What was going through your mind."
Natasha Requena
"Is this really happening, he is somebody that move with wisdom. He don't move foolishly, so like I told you before we can't cheat destiny, when it's our time, it's our time and guess what God definitely know best. All I pray and hope that he repent and ask God for forgiveness. I need to say thanks to Belize Coast Guard Mr. Soberanis, they have been there every step of the way, the divers did an exceptional job, a little young man Jaheem, this young man said from last night after 8pm he heard the dogs barking and when he look outside his body was already on top but he didn't have a contact number to contact anybody, Dr. Musa, Dr. Aguilar - he decide to get his own boat - thank you guys so much, the villagers, it wouldn't have been possible without you guys."
