Berbice painter was revived after pulled from creek but died by the time he reached hospital – friend

Dellon Kenroy Jacobs, the 21-year-old painter of Lichfield, West Coast Berbice who lost his life after plunging into a creek on the Linden Soesdyke Highway, was revived by public-spirited persons when he was pulled from the creek.

This is according to his friend, Maria Surajlall who spoke with the News Room on Monday.

Surajlall told the News Room that after Jacobs was pulled from the water, persons performed CPR and “in a matter of minutes, he began coughing up water that was trapped in his lungs and he began to breathe.”

But by the time he arrived at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre in an ambulance, he was pronounced dead.

Surajlall claims that Jacobs was breathing throughout the drive to the hospital and so, she believes that more could have been done during the journey to keep him alive.

She has since debunked claims in the media that the incident occurred at Chanta Creek and revealed that it was at the Splashmins Creek Resort on the Soesdyke Linden Highway.

The exciting trip was planned about a month ago with family and friends.

Surajlall recounted that they arrived at the creek at approximately 15:00 hrs on Sunday and Jacobs and other friends were anxious to get into the water.

“He keep saying he was going and dive so I said okay,” Surajlall said.

Shortly after he went into the water, other persons on the trip came and told Surajlall and that “somebody deh underneath the water.”

She added that when Jacobs’ brother ventured to the location where the body was, he realised it was him (Jacobs).

Regional Commander (ag) Keithon King had told the News Room on Monday that the man reportedly ventured out into the deep end of the creek and moments later went under. King said Jacobs could not swim.

He was one of four siblings and was also a farmer.