Merced man found dead in canal leaves behind 8 children

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The family of a Merced man who went missing on Sept. 21 and was found dead over the weekend is asking for the community’s help to honor his legacy.

A GoFundMe was created by the family to cover the funeral costs for Chang Cheng.

Chang was reported missing at the San Luis Reservoir by his family during a fishing trip and after a long search conducted by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Water Rescue and Recovery Team, with help from Cheng’s family and many volunteers, Cheng’s body was finally found on Oct. 1.

Missing Merced man found dead after over a week, deputies say

Chang’s family says he died doing what he loved most – fishing.

Chang’s family says he was an avid sportsman who enjoyed fishing, crabbing, hunting, and hiking and had been a fisherman at the San Luis Reservoir since the late 1980s.

Cheng was a Hmong refugee of war who immigrated to the United States in the early 1980s after living in a Ban Vinai refugee camp, in Thailand, his family stated.

Prior to his family found refuge in Thailand, as early as six years old, Chang’s family says he took an important role in helping his widowed mother and siblings flee by foot in the jungle of Laos during the Secret War.

Chang’s family says he leaves behind his mother, wife, eight children, and three grandchildren. The youngest of his children are ages two, four, and nine.

All proceeds from his GoFundMe, which has set a goal of $30,000, will go towards giving Chang a traditional Hmong funeral and any additional funds to support his family.

Detectives say they are continuing to investigate what led to Chang’s death.

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