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Personnel from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division and Habersham County Emergency Services remove the tape the yellow tape that had marked the operational area during Saturday afternoon’s incident in the swimming area at Lake Russell Beach near Mt. Airy. HABERSHAM COUNTY/Submitted
A 12-year-old died of drowning Saturday at Lake Russell Recreation Area.
Habersham County EMS responded to a call stating a swimmer had disappeared from view.
Brian Ramirez of Cornelia was reportedly within the swimming area of the beach with friends but had disappeared from sight. Units from Habersham County Emergency Services, Sheriff’s Office and Cornelia Fire Department all responded to the event.
After 20 minutes, Ramirez was found 10 feet underwater within the swimming area and upon the emergency service’s arrival, medical care began immediately.
Ramirez was rushed to Mount Airy Town Hall, where AirLife Georgia flight crew 14 joined the Habersham Emergency Services to revive Ramirez, but no attempts were successful.
Chris Chitwood, Ramirez’s principal at Hilliard Wilbanks Middle School, said “We were very saddened when we heard the news and immediately reached out to the family to see how we can help. Our staff has been in contact with his family to see how we can help. They’re currently trying to raise money so our staff has been in contact to help with that. Any time you lose a student it’s difficult for staff and students. He was a good student, always smiling and always had fun in anything he did and he will certainly be missed.”
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division was on the scene, and they will conduct the investigation.
“In Habersham County, there was one drowning in Tallulah Gorge last year, and this year-to-date, we have only had the one that occurred this past weekend on Lake Russell,” said Mark McKinnon, Public Affairs Officer for Georgia DNR. “Georgia DNR game wardens respond to a number of drownings across the state every year. In 2022, our officers responded to 57 drownings statewide and in 2021, they responded to 69 drownings statewide.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to assist the family with funeral expenses at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-with-brian-ramirez-funeral.
Arrangements are pending and will be announced soon at McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home in Cornelia.