NORTH OGDEN, Utah — Loved ones are remembering a man who drowned at Willard Bay State Park over the weekend.
Officials and family identified him Monday as 41-year-old Ryan Staggers. People fondly called him Tortuga, or Uncle Turtle.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources said the man from Davis County was on an inflatable raft with another person when they both went overboard Saturday around 4:45 p.m.
Stagger didn’t resurface, and search crews recovered his body around 11 p.m. He was not wearing a life jacket.
Friends and family gathered Monday night at Speedie Ink in North Ogden, which is owned by a close friend and where he recorded music, too. They shared memories, lit candles, brought candles, and grieved with each other.
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Shaylynn Richard is a close friend and said Staggers lit up every room he walked into.
"He was supposed to marry me and my husband next year, so he was supposed to be a big part of our wedding as well," she said.
She hopes this is a lesson for others to be prepared when they are out on the water.
If you would like to help the family with expenses, you can donate via Venmo: @Andreastaggers04
