Sanford mourns teen brothers found dead after suspected drowning: 'Profound sadness'

SANFORD, Maine — For Theresa Webber, a teacher at Sanford High School, it’s Travayne Weir’s smile that she will always remember.

“He truly enjoyed life,” Webber said. “He found true joy in life.”

Weir, 17, and his stepbrother, Diandre Graham, also 17, died by apparent drowning during a visit to Holdsworth Park on Sunday. Their bodies were found floating in the Mousam River, according to Sanford police Maj. Matthew Gagne.

Police and the state medical examiner's office are investigating the deaths. On Monday, Gagne said “foul play is not suspected at this time.”

The deaths shocked and saddened the community, with hundreds of people expressing their condolences to the two teens' loved ones on social media.

In an email on Monday afternoon, Sanford Superintendent of Schools Matt Nelson expressed “profound sadness” when he informed parents and students about what had happened to Weir and Graham.

“Our sincere condolences and thoughts go out to the students’ family and friends,” Nelson wrote. “A student death is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress for children and teens to process.”

Given that, Nelson said, a team of counselors were scheduled to offer counseling and bereavement support services to students and staff members at Sanford High School on Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m.

Nelson encouraged parents and guardians to talk with their children about the tragedies.

“Discussing thoughts and feelings about the situation is important in helping your child work through their grief,” Nelson wrote.

Nelson provided a link to whatsyourgrief.com, which provides parents with guidance on helping children through a loss.

“We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as you need,” Nelson wrote.

Of the two stepbrothers, only Weir was enrolled in the Sanford school system, according to Nelson. Webber said Weir arrived in Sanford from Jamaica as an incoming freshman three years ago. Weir would have been a senior when school started up again at Sanford High in September.

Webber taught Weir in her English for speakers of other languages class. She said Weir’s education did not come easy to him, but he had the right approach to learning.

“He had to work hard,” Webber said. “He was a hard worker.”

Weir got along well with others, she added.

“He was deeply committed to his friends,” Webber said. “He loved his mother very much.”

Weir also made others feel welcomed, Webber added. She mentioned how he approached a new student in their classroom and “took him under his wing.” She said Weir helped the new student develop skills, taught him things, and made him laugh.

“I really appreciated that about him,” Webber said.

The Sanford Police Department received a call about Weir and Graham missing at around 11 p.m. on Sunday night. The brothers had missed their curfew, the caller said.

According to Gagne, the police were told the teenagers had gone to Holdsworth Park, or “The Rec” as it is casually known, to swim.

When local police and fire officials reported to the park, they found the brothers’ vehicle. Upon searching the park and the river, they found the two young men “in the water, deceased,” Gagne said in a press release.

Located along the Mousam River in the village of Springvale, Holdsworth Park is a popular destination for residents and visitors of all ages. The park has a playground, two covered picnic areas, and a large field in which to play, relax with a book, or work on a tan. Families often celebrate birthdays at the park, and once in a while local churches will hold a service there on Sundays. For decades, children have attended summer camp at the park.

On its beach, the city has roped off an area where people can swim. Lifeguards are on duty during set hours throughout weekdays.

Sometimes, though, people choose to swim elsewhere along the river. Though lined by trees, the western half of Holdsworth Park has at least one clearing along the shore where people sometimes swim. Across the water from this spot, people also tend to descend a high, rocky slope, on which an American flag is painted, and swim in the water at the bottom. As well, deep into some adjacent woods, people sometimes swim at a spot known for more than a century as “The Leap.”

In an email, Gagne said he did not have the exact location of where the two brothers lost their lives, as “they could have drifted.”