A recent high school graduate was identified Tuesday by family as the person whose body was recovered from a Medford, Massachusetts, lake this week.
Apurba Devkota, 18, drowned in Upper Mystic Lake on Monday while swimming with friends, relatives confirmed to NBC10 Boston.
He was a senior at Medford High School and set to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the fall, but is now being remembered as sharp and hard-working.
Devkota was a "well-respected young man, who excelled academically and socially," said Marice Edouard-Vincent, superintendent of Medford Public Schools, in a statement.
Mayor Stephanie Burke said: "A tragedy has occurred within our community, and for that I am heartbroken."
Devkota was training to be a server at a restaurant in Arlington this summer. His co-workers found out the news Tuesday morning.
"He was very good, energetic, hard-working, and he was a very good person," said Manisha Shrestha, who works at the restaurant.
Devkota jumped into the water with friends but failed to come back up, witnesses said.
Family members and others conducted a frantic search in the area of the Tufts Sailing Pavilion before first responders arrived at the scene.
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Divers recovered the body about an hour into their search and attempted to revive him, a dramatic rescue attempt caught on cellphone video. He was then taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Devkota was unable to swim and was immediately in distress after he entered the water, a preliminary investigation found.
The Greater Boston Nepali Community will help the family pay for the funeral.
"It's just devastating that we lost such a young fellow," said Arjun Jung Kunwar, the organization's president.
State police originally said the victim was a 17-year-old boy, but the Middlesex District Attorney's Office later said he was 18.
Areas around the lake have signs warning visitors that swimming is prohibited. However, Upper Mystic Lake remains a popular spot to swim in despite the warning, one witness told NBC10 Boston.
Counseling and support services will be provided at Medford High School’s Caron Theater on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m.
