Cape Town - Study House pupil Casey Williams’ friends, family and schoolmates are expected to pay their final tributes on Saturday following his drowning while swimming at Stompdrift Dam in De Rust, in the Klein Karoo.
Williams was among a group of 10 matrics from Study House who were on a skills-building excursion at the dam when the incident occurred.
They were investigating the effects of strong winds on the structural integrity of the buildings in the Karoo, the school said.
The 18-year-old and other learners went down to the dam for a swim during the excursion.
A strong wind had blown away a lilo Williams was using while swimming.
He tried to swim after it but disappeared under the murky water, according to reports.
His body was retrieved on Tuesday afternoon after an intensive search. Study House chief executive and spokesperson for the Williams family, Clive Welgemoed, said everyone was in shock and devastated by the tragic accident.
“The wind was calm on the water and the kids wanted to go for a quick dip. We were in the area to investigate how storm winds of the Karoo affect the houses.
Everything happened so fast and Casey disappeared in the water,” he said.
Welgemoed described Williams as a beacon of light, and someone who always managed to put a positive spin on everything.
“Casey was a special young man, loved and respected by teachers and students alike for his consistently cheerful and positive attitude, his kindness and helpfulness. He loved architecture and he was athletic, and a dancer. He did all these wonderful things.
He would even give his lunch away just to make sure everyone is happy. He was very close to me, I taught him a lot of his subjects. I am distraught. There are no words that can describe how I feel,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Welgemoed said they were devastated and had asked for privacy during their time of grieving.
Williams will be buried on Saturday. Affected learners at the school have received counselling from the Western Cape Education Department.
Cape Times