THE family of a teenager who died at a Powys beauty spot during a visit with friends, have praised the “courageous efforts” of people who tried to save him.
Sean Kanyoza, 19, died on Saturday, June 27, in a popular area of Powys known as ‘Waterfall Country’, in the Bannau Brycheiniog/Brecon Beacons National Park.
An inquest into the death of Mr Kanyoza, from Swindon, was opened and adjourned by coroner Rachel Knight at Pontypridd Coroner's Court earlier this month.
The inquest heard Mr Kanyoza died after getting into difficulty in the water, having entered the Sgwd Clun-Gwyn Waterfall, near Ystradfellte.
A gofundme page was set up by friends of Mr Kanyoza in the wake of his death, in order to support the teenager’s family. Mr Kanyoza was described as “one of those rare people who left a lasting impression on everyone he met”.
In a statement released to media this week by the family, Netsayi Kanyoza-Harris, Mr Kanyoza’s mum, thanked the efforts of rescuers who attempted to save their son, as well as others at the scene who tried to help.
Mr Kanyoza entered the water, at either the Sgwd Clun-Gwyn or Sgwd y Pannwr waterfall, on the Afon Hepste, between Ystradfellte and Pontneddfechan, and became submerged by the strong current.
“Members of the public, Richard Pugh and Adam Kelly, immediately entered the water to rescue Sean," said Mrs Kanyoza-Harris.
“Richard explained that the rescue was extremely challenging due to the dark colour of the water and the very poor visibility beneath the surface.
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“Despite the hazardous conditions, Richard successfully located Sean and brought him from beneath the waterfall to the edge of the pool.
“After removing Sean from the water, he immediately commenced CPR, assisted by Emily Knight, her partner and Jodie Roberts.
“Meanwhile, Claire Roberts remained with Sean’s friends, providing them with support and reassurance during the incident.
“Regrettably, despite their prompt and courageous efforts, the resuscitation was unsuccessful, and Sean was pronounced deceased when the rescue team arrived.”
The family statement continued: “We wish to place on record our profound gratitude to Richard and Adam for their exceptional courage, selflessness and determination in attempting to save Sean's life, in such difficult and dangerous circumstances.
“We recognise the considerable personal risk they undertook, and we will remain forever grateful for their actions.
“We also wish to express our sincere appreciation to Jon Pimm, the warden of the Brecon Beacons National Park, and to Hugh, who welcomed us to Wales and accompanied us to the location where Sean lost his life.
“They explained the roles they had played on the day and guided us through the area with the utmost kindness, compassion and professionalism.
“The walk from the car park to the waterfall took approximately one-and-a-half hours. Throughout the journey, Jon and Hugh demonstrated exceptional patience and understanding, recognising that we needed to stop on several occasions due to the emotional and physical demands of the visit.
“They afforded us not only their time, but also their empathy, compassion and unwavering support.
“We had many questions as we sought to understand the circumstances surrounding Sean's death. Their willingness to answer our questions openly, provide reassurance and support brought us considerable comfort at a time of profound grief.
“We respectfully place on record our heartfelt thanks to Richard, Adam, Emily and her partner along with Jodie, Claire, the rescue team, Jon and Hugh for the compassion, dignity and humanity they showed both on the day of the incident and during our subsequent visit.
“Their kindness and support will remain with our family always.”
The gofundme page, which has surpassed £4,000, said of Mr Kanyoza: “He was a true free spirit with a heart of gold, an infectious smile, and a positivity that could brighten even the darkest day.”
