IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The family of a 20-year-old man who drowned in Lake Macbride last week is raising money to transport his body to Guatemala. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says Yonathan Rivera-Brito was having difficulty swimming when he disappeared underwater and drowned on July 31.
On Thursday, TV9 spoke to Rivera-Brito’s mother, Edilia, who still lives in the village in Guatemala where her son was born. The family wants to bring his body home – but to do so they need to raise thousands of dollars.
Family and friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the $13,000 needed to transport Rivera-Brito’s body to Guatemala. Rev. Dayrin Lovan of the Greater Iowa City Church of Nazarene is helping to spread the word as she prepares to lead the funeral service this weekend.
“Stories like this are something that many families have to go through. They send their loved ones here or they don’t have food on the table, and these are difficult decisions,” Lovan said. “Yonathan will bring the community together and promote unity, kindness and compassion.”
Funeral services for Rivera-Brito will be held this Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Greater Iowa City Church of Nazarene. For more details, read his obituary here.
All rights reserved.
