21 Year Old Drowns in Lake Monticello
May 21st, 2009 by Joe BurgessA 21 year old Monticello man lost his life around noon, today.
Robert Joseph Brazeale, who was swimming in the presence of mother a friend, became Lake Monticello’s third drowning victim, since the lake opened.
Brazeale was had jumped off of the boat dock on the Hunger Run access end of the lake on the south end, near, HWY 35.
A friend who was with him, was swimming away from Brazeale, when he heard him. A nearby fisherman, who also heard the calls for help, came to the scene, and dove into the water three times.
On the third dive, he was able to locate Brazeale, near the bottom of the lake.
Both men removed the body from the water, and attempted CPR, but were unsuccessful in reviving him.
Both MASIÂ and the Drew County Sheriff’s Dept. responded to the scene.
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OMG!My heart goes out to the family…
Now that this has happened, it would seem appropriate to stop all swimming in Lake Monticello. As for boating and fishing..that’s fine. I sincerely hope that the people of Monticello will stop letting family members swim there anymore. It’s a sad thing for Nancy and her family to face the loss of their loved one.. Our prayers are with the family members at this time..
I feel for the family, but lets be real. Why dont we ban eating because my mom choked at Ameca. And while were at it, why dont we outlaw cars because someone was killed in an accident in front of Mcdonalds. Accidents happen!
My prayer are the family at this time. It a sad thing that this happen to a young man.
my heart goes to the family i knew Robert he will be missed dearly
Not sure I agree entirely with you on that point, Nan. I don’t see the need to stop all swimming in Lake Monticello, but rather to set aside safe swim areas and areas strictly for boating and fishing.
That aside, it is always tragic when someone so young is taken from their family so unexpectedly. To the family, you have my sincere condolences and you are all in my prayers.
Nancy I am so sorry for your lose you and your family will be in our thoughts & prayers.
while i do agree this is an awful thing that happened but it was an accident! just because someone has drown in the lake doesn’t mean that it should be closed off for swimming. that would be like saying “well, someone had a wreck in their car-no one should ever drive that kind of car again or someone got choked eating a ham sandwich and died-no one can eat ham sandwiched again…come on!!!
Don’t blame it on lake monticello that he drowned. Atleast you can take your family out there and go swimming like in the old days. It’s a clean place to go and it’s close to town. Better than going to the saline river and get you foot cut on a broken beer bottle and have to drive 20 minutes to town. Atleast the police can inforce the no drinking policy. Our prayers go out to their family.
My thoughts and prayers for the family involved. However, I think it is ridiculous to ban swimming from the lake. It was an unfortunate accident, however we should not punish everyone because of this accident as well as others. I totally agree with “don’t agree”-should we ban automobiles because some people have had serious accidents? We are fortunate enough to have a pool for my children, however there are others who utilize the lake for their children’s recreation and enjoyment.
Ya don’t blame it on the lake…I also think that there should be no swimming from the docks, boats are constantly coming in and out of those areas and increase the risk of someone getting hurt or killed. My prayers go out to the family…
I taught Joseph in the 8th grade my thoughts and prayers are with his family.
JOSEPH YOU ARE WITH YOUR CREATOR NOW. NO MORE SORROWS TO GO THROUGH. NANCY MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU, AND MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU, PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD, EVEN THO AT TIMES IT SEEMS HE HAS LEFT US, HE HASN`T AND NEVER WILL LEAVE US, LOOK TO HIM FOR COMFORT IN THIS TIME OF SORROW AND HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH IT. JOSEPH WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.
LOVE AUNT CLARA
This is horrible! My prayers are with the family.
I agree with Drew, set aside a safe swimming area. My heart goes out to his entire family but especiall his mother and friend that saw him drown. That is really sad.
There used to be a sign on the dock that said no swimming or diving from the boat dock. It was there for a reason. If it is missing, it needs to be replaced. There is a DESIGNATED swimming area. Banning swimming is not the answer. If it is, then i can think of about 10,000,000,000 other things that need to go with it…..like blogging.
sorry i know this is hard and i knew him well we all are sorry for his loss he was a good friend and a godd preson be careful to all who goes to the lake.
I didn’t know Robert, and he didn’t know me, but I was there when this happened. My dad was one of the men who helped pull his body out of the lake and gave him CPR. I saw him and the friend jump off the dock, and the friend came up and started swimming back to the swimming area, then Robert came up and yelled ‘I can’t reach’ and went under. My dad and I ran over to the dock to see if we could help, and then a man pulled up in a boat and asked what was going on, at which point he jumped in and went under 3 times, finding the body on the 3rd dive. My dad and another man got him onto the dock and comenced to giving him CPR. By the time they had gotten the body, he had been under about 10 minutes. It was a tragic thing to watch, and it will be something I will never be able to get out of my head. Again, I never met Robert, but my heart and prayers are with his family.
I know that accidents happen.. and you’re right Drew and the others that made that comment. I know that things happen for a reason and this was one of those reasons that we just don’t understand. At such a young age and having a great life ahead of him and to be taken at such a young age. I guess that it hit me that way, because I’ve got a 21 year old grandson that has been wanting to go swimming there. He knew Robert from attending school with him. I do understand where you all are coming from.. It’s just one of those things where we really have to be alert to things.. Have a great day, everybody..
My heart and prayers go out to the family of their loss!
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I went to school with joseph, and he was such a sweet and shy boy. But the lake was made for recreational activities, and that includes swimming. I became a lifeguard a few years back, and the most IMPORTANT thing i could ever ask a parent is PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pay for our children to take swimming lessons. I could not count how many times kids and adults would jump off the diving board, knowing that they could not swim. This is a serious matter, and i believe the parents should take responsibilty and get their children swimming lessons when their small.
No one should swim anywhere if they can not swim especially in a lake where anything can happen. Lake monticello has been a place for previous drownings something must be done to prevent this happening anymore. No more swimming in the lake or how bout putting a life gaurd on duty during the summer…
MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND MAY GOD GO WITH YOU
mY heart goes out to the family for thier loss.
Ban swimming that is crazy.
I do think however there should not be any swimming allowed on the dock. that is dangerous in itself.
There use to be a swimming area at the hunger run access s there not one anymore???
But maybe if there was place designated for swimmers that would be much safer.
A life guard on duty at a lake are you kidding me??? So you mean to say when all those people are out there skiing and wake boarding and one perhaps falls, is this so called ‘lake lifeguard” gonna swim out there to the middle of the lake to save them??
It’s a lake swim at your on risk… is that sign not out there some where too??
If you want a life guard go to the pool!!
Nancy, im so sorry for you My prayes go out to you and your family..god bless.
First, I want to say that my prayers go out to his family. I can not even think of what this must be doing to the family members that were there when this happen.
I believe this needs to be a wake up call to everone with a child. SWIM LESSONS, and LIFE JACKETS!!!! Even adults, it is ok to wear a Life Jacket. I know teenagers, and younger people think they are uncool, but they can save lives. Let this be your wake up call. This is a cause, that can bring meaning out of this tragedy. Let his story bring awareness to Water Safety.
Again my prayers to all the family. God bless you!
I am sorry that another person has lost there life out there. Someone needs to be on duty to make people swim at the sand bar. Every time we try to dock to load the boat children are swimming and we cant get to the dock. It’s dangerous when the boat cant stop before running over them. At the sand bar you can touch bottom. I hope someone does something before this happens to another family. Bless this family. My heart goes out to his mother.
Joseph was a classmate. This is really sad and unfortunate. Yes, this accident was tragic; however, it does not justify banning swimming in the lake.
The class of ’06 has lost too many already…
The family is in my thoughts and prayers.
I also am terribly sorry for your loss and I will keep you all in my prayers.
God Bless You All, I am so sorry, and I know right now that doesnt mean much. Nothing anyone can say will make you feel any better right now, I know that. But again I am so sorry…
My children grew up learning how to swim in Lake Monticello, and never with out a life jacket ,and always with arms reach of me. Accidents happen always when you least expect them.
I will pray for this family.
but banning swimming at the lake is not the answer. Teaching them to swim is a thought.
Nancy, I am so sorry. I wish I could be there for you at this time but circumstances wont permit me to do so. Please know that my heart hurts with you. Joseph was such a sweet boy. He will be missed by so many, including me. I am praying for God to comfort your heart and bring you peace. May you take comfort in knowing that he is with Jesus where there is no more pain or heartache. Anita and Clara both have my number if you want to call me.
Diane
God bless this family;
they need to do away with the dock out there. to many young kids and adults try to use it for a diving board. put one low to the water and they want be the interrested in diving or jumping off something that isnt that much fun to them. also the law needs to be more strict while in the area. when they see people on the dock hanging out they should be asked to leave the dock so boaters will feel more safe about docking thier boats. we all seem to have soulutions but its gonna take the whole community to work together to make our lake more safe. we all have to use good judgement.
William, Nancy, I’m so sorry for your lose. I am praying for ya’ll. He will be missed so much
It is horrible that anyone lost their life for any reason. I had not personally met this young man but he lives close to me and I had seen him several times out walking dogs.
As for banning swimming in the lake, it is something that just seems to be unrealisitc. I do think that there should be some guidelines set and even someone to enforce them. The swiming area should be roped of and clearly marked (along with signs directing traffic to that area for swimming). To reduce the chances of this happening in the future, the city should hire someone to help enforce rules specifically at the lake and maybe even a few lifeguards. Even that would only reduce the risk.
Anytime that you are swimming, you need to be fully aware of the dangers that exist. For those with small children, please make sure that they understand the rules and they have learned to swim before taking them into deep waters.
My prayers go out to this family and to all of the families that have lost loved ones to the lake. I am sure that this horrible accident has caused many to relive past experiences. My prayers are also with the man that attempted to rescue this young man and the bystanders that had to witness this. May God give you all peace with this experience…
sorry for your loss. I pray he was ready to for god needed him more than we.
I can not even think what it is like for you. i PRAY that god will give you the stringth to work things out. please remember that even when you think god has left you, he has not. He is sure to touch your heart and your family. Remember to drean and to keep roberts dream alive in your lives.
i was at the lake that day showing a friend how pretty the lake is i have a heart felt prayer for the family. may god guide you in this time of lose an sorrow. only god knows when that time will come. goverment is not the answer.. its the cause of the nanny state we live in.
This is very touching, and my prayers go out to the family
i know what your going through my 15 year old son drowned in that lake about 4 years ago. he was with friends in the swimmming area so i know how you feel.