A ‘heartbroken’ family have paid tribute to their 20-year-old son who was found dead in their village river.
Jacob Rutkowski, who has been described as a ‘beautiful soul’ by his grieving family died after getting into difficulty in the river Tees in County Durham.
It is understood that Jacob from Darlington, County Durham, entered the water in Gainford on Friday and began to struggle, sparking a huge emergency response.
The air ambulance, mountain rescue crews, police helicopter, paramedics and fire crews all rushed to the rural village at about 2.30pm in a bid to rescue him.
Drones and rescue dogs were also used in the search.
Tragically, Durham Police later confirmed that they had found a body in the river.
Jacob’s family have paid tribute to his life and have launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise funds for his funeral.
The page reads: ‘As many of you have already heard, our family experienced the unimaginable.
‘This devastating loss has left our entire family heartbroken beyond words. He was a son, a brother, a loving boyfriend — and above all, a beautiful soul taken far too soon.
‘We are raising funds to help with funeral and memorial costs, and to support the family during this painful time.
‘Anything you can give will help ease the burden and allow us to focus on grieving and honouring his memory. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’
Tributes and messages for Jacob have also been posted online and have described him as having a ‘heart of gold’.
One friend wrote: ‘Such a caring young lad honestly, sending my love and thoughts to the family.
‘I just can’t get over it, he was so lovely. Breaks my heart, forever 20.’
Another said: ‘Absolutely heartbroken for my friend and her family. Life is just so precious.’
