TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — The family of a teenager who drowned while paddleboarding in Bear Lake last week is remembering his life.

On June 6, the Rowles family was recreating on Bear Lake when 17-year-old Gideon Rowles fell off his paddleboard and became separated from it. Reportedly, Gideon is the seventh of 10 children and is originally from Arizona. However, he had been staying with one of his brothers in Cache County, Utah.

“He was with his brother learning how to become a piano tuner, or a technician as they’re called. After they were done tuning a piano close to a lake. … My son, Jared, with Gideon, decided to go play on the lake with Jared’s children,” said Daniel Rowles, Gideon’s father.

Gideon was paddleboarding to meet up with Jared and Jared’s child when the wind picked up and started blowing them away from shore.

“Jared had told Gideon, ‘Hey, you need to make sure that the ankle strap that connects you to your paddleboard is around your ankle,’” Daniel said. “So, as he got up to try and put that around his ankle, he fell in the water. The wind blew his paddleboard away from him, and then he had nothing to hold on to.”

A medical helicopter is seen as police and paramedics respond to a drowning on Bear Lake’s Ideal Beach, June 6, in Garden City, Utah. | Courtesy Utah DNR Division of Law Enforcement

At the time, Gideon was not wearing a life jacket, and his family says he was too far from shore for a quick rescue and too tired to keep swimming. His brother and other bystanders were able to call first responders.

“He was lost for a while, and it was other people that were involved — who were complete strangers — that made this all come together in a way that we could at least find resolution and closure,” said Ranae Rowles, Gideon’s mother.

Despite life-saving measures, Gideon drowned. Yet, his legacy of kindness and dedication lives on through his family.

RELATED | Body of 17-year-old Arizona boy recovered after drowning at Bear Lake

According to Ranae and Daniel, Gideon was constantly looking for things to do. He was taking automotive repair classes and picked up dozens of hobbies.

“Gideon was just always looking for somebody to help,” Daniel said. “And he really liked doing things with his hands. (He was) constantly busy learning, keeping his hands busy (with) yo-yos, card tricks, lock picking.”

“Gideon would rather be in real life with real people learning to do things,” Ranae added.

According to his family, Gideon’s brother had set up Gideon’s first solo piano repair.

“Gideon had proficiently showed himself that he could actually do this on his own, and it was hard for him (Jared) to have to cancel that appointment because Gideon could not be there,” Daniel told ABC4.com.

Jared Rowles, left, and his brother Gideon Rowles pose for a picture while tuning a piano. Gideon was learning the trade from his brother prior to his death. | Courtesy Rowles family via ABC4

Honoring Gideon

Gideon’s impact was felt not just by his family, but by all those who knew him. After his death, the Rowles received a letter from his headmaster.

“I’ve heard nothing but glowing reports about your son’s personality, work ethic, people skills and overall spectacular character,” the headmaster wrote.

“His classmates and mentors are devastated. But even in departure, he will help all of them remember to enjoy every single day and waste no time on the things that are important,” the letter continued. “He changed lives, and he will change even more through his passing.”

As for Gideon’s family, they had a final message to share about him.

“Don’t let your own inhibitions or your own problems or your own imperfections stop you from lifting another person and telling them they are special, or that they’re worth something,” Daniel said. “There’s so much loneliness now. … If we just reached out, like Gideon would, I think that would be a blessing to many people.”

The Rowles family has created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs. They say they also hope to use the funds to create a scholarship to honor Gideon by helping people get into the piano trade and automotive repair.

“Something that we can pass that on, to them in Gideon’s honor and help them realize a dream that maybe they can’t on their own, is what we’re hoping,” Daniel said.

Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.

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