Community remembers three who drowned in Little Beaver Creek
Posted: Jun 21, 2015
By Michelle Nicks, Reporter, WFMJ
LISBON, Ohio -A 44-year old Leetonia man, his 10-year-old son, and a 14-year-old boy are dead after drowning in the Little Beaver Creek in Lisbon on Father's Day. The Summit County Medical Examiner says that 14-year-old Carson Bonar of Beloit died at 11 p.m. Sunday at Akron Children's hospital where he had been since rescuers pulled him from the waters of the creek a few hours earlier.
Police Chief Michael Abraham tells 21 News that 44-year-old Todd Vadino and his 10-year-old son Garrett Vadino had been kayaking on the creek along with Bonar Sunday afternoon. Vadino was a shop teacher at Salem High School and his son was going into the fifth grade in the Leetonia school district. Abraham says the two boys were washing mud off their shoes near the spillway at Willow Grove Park when the ten-year-old was swept away by the current.
"The 14-year-old tried to help him out, which then he in turn got into trouble also, and then the dad of the 10-year-old boy tried to jump in and help both of them," Chief Abraham said. ] Police and the firefighters were called to scene just before 6 p.m. After rescuers pulled Bonar from the water, Lisbon Police Officer Michael Cherol administered CPR to the teen who was then transported to Salem Community Hospital, and later taken to Akron Children's hospital where he died.
The West Branch Schools have issued a statement about the death of Carson Bonar saying that the community has lost a great student and friend who was a person of character and integrity. “Carson will be sorely missed by his family, community, classmates and teachers. He was on the Merit Roll and Honor Roll throughout his 8th grade year and was the recipient of the Damascus Ruritan's Award for outstanding community service. He was active in his local church and Boy Scouts. He was also nominated by his teachers for the Good Student Award in grade 8,” says middle school principal, Roger Kitzmiller.
Rescuers also found the body of the father in the water. Search and rescue crews called for assistance from surrounding fire departments who continued looking for Garrett Vadino until darkness forced them to suspend recovery efforts. It was around 12:30 a.m. when Navy Seals Adam Newbold and Luke Newbold decided to search the creek on their own until they found the body of the ten-year-old at around 2:40 a.m. about one-quarter of a mile downstream from the original incident. As U.S. Navy Seals, the Newbolds have the best water rescue training and equipment, especially at night and wanted to do what they could to help find Vadino's son.
But nothing prepared Adam Newbold for this triple tragedy, that included the loss of a friend. "I'd like people to remember Todd as a very caring, outwardly caring, very nice, genuine person. Someone far from self-centered, cared about others, and from what I understand a heck of a teacher."
