Featured Image Credit: Inside Edition / Richard Aloha
A diver has discovered a GoPro that contains footage of a drowning victim’s final moments two years after his death.
YouTuber Rich Aloha documented his find for his channel when he stumbled across an abandoned camera buried at the bottom of a lake by a waterfall.
Aloha had been filming his scuba diving adventure in Foster Falls State Park in Tennessee, near where 22-year-old Richard Ragland had lost his life two years prior.
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Ragland had tragically drowned under a waterfall at the park where he had been swimming just days before his 23rd birthday.
He had reportedly gone swimming underneath the waterfall but never resurfaced.
His family were left with many questions about what happened to him, which have now finally been answered thanks to the discovery.
The treasure hunter found the GoPro by chance and later opened up the camera to discover that the SD card was still working.
In the description of his video, Aloha wrote: “In this unforgettable waterfall scuba diving adventure, God leads me to a GoPro of a young man that died far too soon. He drowned while swimming in a beautiful waterfall in Tennessee.
“Thankfully, it helped bring some closure of grieving family and friend. The GoPro contained the SD card that was still working by a miracle, so the family has the final adventures of their beloved son, Richard Ragland.”
He’d been told the tragic story of Ragland’s death by park rangers and, reviewing the footage, he realized these were the young man’s last moments.
Taking to the internet, he eventually found a way to contact the family of the deceased man.
Speaking to Inside Edition about sharing the footage with Ragland’s family, Aloha said: “They were just stunned. I don’t think there’s ever been a more impactful find.”
The footage shows a smiling and happy Ragland, swimming and enjoying an adventurous day in what became the final hours of his life.
Taking to the YouTube comment section to share their reactions, one user wrote: “Thank you so much for finding my uncle’s GoPro. I was in shock that god sent you that way and stumble upon that. Richard was a good person always outgoing. I can’t thank you enough.”
Another person said: “You rock dude your an awesome human being I know that his parents were so happy to have their son's last memory.”
And a third added: “Watching his last moments were just proof that he was a great man and he lived his life full of adventures. I'm glad you found it.”
