Fla. Teen Drowns on Trip with Family Just Weeks Before His 18th Birthday

A 17-year-old boy is being remembered fondly by friends and family after he drowned in a diving accident in the Florida Keys.

The incident occurred off Grassy Key around 1:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 13, according to a news release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said the teen, from Plantation, reportedly was swimming back to a boat following his dive “when he went underwater.” He was eventually pulled from the water, and CPR was performed.

The teen was then “taken to Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon, Florida where he was pronounced dead.”

The victim has been identified as Cameron Ruwe, according to NBC affiliate WTVJ and WSVN. He was a senior at Archbishop McCarthy High School and competed in track and field.

Katherine Zaensi, Cameron’s stepmom, said the teen was visiting the Florida Keys with family just weeks before his 18th birthday. She described him to WTVJ as “the most sweetest, honorable, well-mannered child.”

“He changed my life,” Zaensi told WPLG, “he was my best friend, he was my shadow, I didn’t go anywhere, if he’s not on the phone with me, he’s right next to me.”

Christopher Ruwe, Cameron’s father, described his son to WTVJ as “the perfect kid,” adding that he “wouldn’t have changed a thing about him.”

“I lived every day for him, he’s the one that kept me moving every day,” Chris explained, according to WSVN. “I just want everybody to live like Cameron.”

Foul play is not believed to be a factor in Cameron’s death, according to the sheriff’s office. Results from an autopsy on the late teen are pending.

More than $61,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign started for Cameron’s family following the teen’s sudden death.

Grace Everhart, who organized the online fundraiser, said “Cameron was a true friend to all” and “someone who could brighten any room with his humor, kindness, and love for life.” 

“[Cameron was] a talented athlete in track and field and an unforgettable soul,” Everhart wrote, “he touched countless lives with his smile and spirit.”

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A vigil was held to honor Cameron’s life, according to the reports. Some of his fellow students attended and even laid flowers at his school parking spot, WPLG reported.

“The service, led by our students, was a moving reminder of the strength we find in faith and in one another,” school officials said in a post on Facebook. “Surrounded by love, unity, and prayer, we lifted up Cameron and his family, who joined us for this moment of remembrance.”