Fundraiser started to send Cultus Lake drowning victim’s body to India
Posted July 28, 2020 10:10 pm.
Last Updated July 29, 2020 1:22 am.
SURREY (NEWS 1130) — A fundraiser was set up to send the body of a 22-year-old back to India after he drowned in Cultus Lake over the weekend.
The goal was $35,000, and that amount was raised in just two days for Manpreet Singh’s family.
RELATED: Cultus Lake drowning victim identified as international student
Manpreet’s cousin and GoFundMe organizer, Jagpaul Singh, tells NEWS 1130 Manpreet worked hard to help support his family back home and the money raised will be given to them.
“Now there is no one to earn money … but no one can fill Manpreet’s place but still, we are helping them from our side,” he says.
Jagpaul explains, the two flew to Canada in 2017 together to attend university. While Jagpaul went to school in Ontario and Manpreet attended school in Vancouver — the two kept in touch.
Jagpaul says since their parents had helped them study in Canada, Manpreet felt he needed to support them once he got a chance. That’s when he picked up a job in December.
“He was just earning money and sending money back home.”
As much as Jagpaul wants to mourn with his and Manpreet’s parents in India, he and other family members in Canada are trying to do their part from here.
“My parents told me like, don’t go anywhere, because I told them I want to come to India. So they said no due to COVID. It’s been difficult for everyone,” he explains.
“So they said, the money you’re gonna waste on coming to India, use that money to send money back home.”
On Saturday, Manpreet and nine other friends visited Cultus Lake.
The young men were wading in chest-high water when Manpreet and another friend found themselves in danger when there was a sudden drop-off.
While one person was able to dive into the water and save one person, Manpreet could not be saved.
