New details reveal the timeline of events after a teenage boy drowned while swimming off the coast of Blind Pass Beach in Sanibel.
Isaac Breese, 17, was tragically killed in a swimming accident on Tuesday, July 2, after four teens were swimming on a sandbar.
The current was picking up, and the teens decided to go back to shore. That's when they started to struggle against the current.
The outgoing tide picked up speed, and the current swept them farther offshore. One of the four swimmers was able to make it back to land and call 911 for help.
Officers with the Sanibel Police Department responded to Blind Pass Beach for reports of three teenage swimmers in distress around 11:45 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers were able to locate two of the three swimmers, including a teenage boy and a teenage girl, about 200 yards off the shoreline.
A Sanibel Fire Rescue swimmer entered the water on a paddleboard and was able to recover the two teens that were located and bring them back to shore. The teens said they looked back and Breese told them he would be OK. They said that was the last time they saw him.
Officers on the shore and the bridge were unable to see Breese.
Officers identified Breese's parents and contacted them to inform them that Breese had gone missing and a search was in progress.
It wasn't until around 5 p.m. when the Lee County Marine Unit suspended operations due to weather conditions in the area.
The search was continued the next day without success before being suspended due to weather again.
Nearly 40 hours after Breese went missing, on July 4, officers were searching the southeast area of Blind Pass Beach when a man approached them with a drone to help search for Breese.
The man told officers he saw something on his drone in the water and took video and pictures. Officers say the picture showed something of interest, prompting the Sanibel Marine Unit to respond.
Breese's remains were recovered from the water and were taken to the medical examiner's office. Breese's parents provided DNA samples to confirm the identity.
Breese played soccer for North Fort Myers High School and Florida West F.C., an elite youth soccer club. The club put out a statement saying, “Isaac's presence was a source of strength and encouragement, and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”
They also posted a GoFundMe fundraiser, which received an outpouring of love.
Isaac also trained at DBR Goalkeeper Academy. They are remembering Isaac too, in ways including a collage and note on Facebook , saying he was "one of the best goalkeepers in Southwest Florida."
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