'This one hurt my heart': Vigil remembers Raceland man who died during river rafting trip
Candles were lit, tears were shed and balloons were released Wednesday evening to honor a Raceland man who died after a rafting trip went wrong.
More than 100 friends, family members and residents gathered to remember Everette Jackson, 21, who died last week in a fast-moving river near Emmett, Idaho.
"He loved with everything in his heart," said Zoie Hartman, among those who attended the candlelight vigil at Ebenezer Christian Community Fellowship in Raceland. "He did not have an enemy, and if he did, it was one-sided."
Hartman met Jackson at LSU-Eunice and was friends with him for the past 18 months.
She recalled how she texted Jackson at 2:36 one morning saying she had a wasp in her room. Jackson rushed into her room wielding a slipper and took care of the situation.
"That shows you what type of man he was," she said. "He was the type, any time, day or night, he was there for you."
Earlier: Body of Raceland man found in river where he had fallen during rafting trip
Jackson's mother, Melanie Jackson, spoke of how she has leaned on her Christian faith to carry her through the tragedy. During the weeklong search for her son, she spoke every day with her other children, who had traveled to Idaho in hopes of finding him. On Sunday, no one would answer.
Melanie Jackson said she will cherish the 21 years she had Everette in her life. She said the loss hurts, but by recovering his body, at least now she has closure.
"It was just his time," she said.
On Saturday: Community shows support for Raceland man missing after falling from raft into Idaho river
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office directed traffic for the vigil, and one officer spoke before the crowd when invited to.
"This one hurt my heart very badly," said Lt. Keniyelle Frank. "He wasn't just a random person that I'd met. He was somebody that I looked up to."
Jackson, who graduated from Central Lafourche High School in 2019, was different. He had immense potential.
"He got out of here," she said she thought when he left for college, where he played basketball and majored in business. "That baby is going to do great things."
Jackson went missing June 11 in the rain-swelled Payette River near Emmett, Idaho, a small city about 20 miles northwest of Boise. His body was recovered by a volunteer at 3 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.
Jackson and and his girlfriend were on vacation, tubing in the river. The two fell into the water, and Everette was swept away.
Water levels in the river, swelled by heavy rain, had risen 2 feet in the days before the mishap. The river was just over 8 feet deep and flowing at 10,200 cubic feet per second, nearly four times the average speed for this time of year based on federal records dating back 96 years. The water's temperature was about 55 degrees, raising the risk of hypothermia.
Family members have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to return Jackson's body to Raceland and pay for a funeral.
"Previous funds has been exhausted due to room and board fees, traveling expenses, investigators and family accommodations," the page says. "We are asking for additional assistance in getting him and the rest of his family back home safely, his home going service and memorials, legal fees and any additional fees we are faced with. We appreciate any and all support, prayers and donations."
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Vigil honors memory of Raceland man who died during river rafting trip
