The body of Everette Roman Jackson, 21, was recovered by the Gem County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho.
Jackson, from Raceland, Louisiana, was a sophomore and basketball player at Louisiana State University-Eunice.
Reports state that he had been visiting his girlfriend in Boise, Idaho, when he went missing. On Saturday, June 11, Jackson had been rafting on the Payette River, with a group, where he overlooked the cutoff point to exit the river. An onlooker stated that they had seen Jackson fall out of the tube, go under the water, and never resurface.
Relatives say that they were told that Jackson and his girlfriend had gone past their exit when tubing. They then attempted to return back to the dock. The girlfriend had an opportunity to grab onto a branch, but Jackson was said to have been dragged away in a current.
Authorities say that a volunteer found Jackson two miles downstream from where he was last observed. It took eight days to locate him with his family coming into town to help look for him.
The initial search was difficult due to unsafe and fast-moving water levels. To add, drones were brought in to assist with the efforts.
Funeral arrangements are being planned.
