Inner-tubing incident results in a boy's death in Las Vegas due to flooding.
A 13-year-old boy who recently celebrated his birthday drowned in Las Vegas last Saturday while enjoying some inner-tubing with his friends on the floodwaters.
Ryan Taylor suffered injuries and was found near Boulder Highway. His body was discovered beneath an SUV, which was later lifted up by several good samaritans to reach him. Relatives, neighbors, and passersby, including John Cruz, all joined forces in rescuing him. Taylor was quickly transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he passed away on Sunday morning.
The Clark County Coroner's office confirmed the cause of death as accidental drowning.
Witness Accounts
Ryan had been playing with other children in the water. Jennifer Webb, an eyewitness, described the scene to KSNV: "He was waving at everyone like he was having a great time, and then he got around that curve over there, and it was like a gully."
For Cruz, the experience was traumatic: "It was really terrifying. I didn't know what was happening firsthand. The water is still flowing hard, and I pushed through that, and ended up helping bring that boy out."
Ryan's father, Mathew Taylor, expressed his gratitude to all those who assisted in the rescue and said in a statement: "So quickly things can change from fun. Floodwaters are not a joke or to be played with. Thank you to the brave residents who helped lift the car and pull him out with me. And the first responders for all of their efforts."
Irene Reynaga, Ryan's mother, reported that when paramedics arrived, her son had no heartbeat. She added, "We arrived at the hospital where they attempted everything possible to save our son. Despite all the prayers and efforts, he sadly passed at 2:30 a.m. (Sunday)."
"Words cannot express the pain of losing your child," Mathew Taylor lamented. "We lost our firstborn, a friend to so many, and big brother to his brother and sisters."
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the expenses. As of Tuesday, they had raised $7,205. The initial goal was $5,000. The page describes Ryan as "such an amazing kid. He was so helpful with his siblings and had such a big heart."
A Second Incident
Las Vegas Fire and Rescue crews found a lifeless body on Saturday near Rainbow Boulevard. It appears the unnamed victim drowned on Friday night during the stormy weather. The body was swept away in currents and eventually came to rest among debris, as reported by KLAS.
At the height of the storm, Las Vegas firefighters rescued many pedestrians from getting stranded in waterways. Around 30-35 vehicles also became stranded due to the storms.
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