A 4-year-old boy who drowned in his family's backyard pool last month in North Providence, Rhode Island, is being remembered by those who knew him as an energetic and adventurous boy who was always smiling.
The family's pastor, David Vatral, told NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR that the children's grandfather was babysitting 4-year-old Eli and his 8-year-old brother when the tragedy occurred.
North Providence police have said the boy was pulled from the pool around 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, at the Cassisi Court home after being underwater for an undetermined amount of time. He was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Vatral says Eli apparently somehow got into the above ground pool by himself. No one else was swimming at the time.
"Somehow, Eli wandered off and he must've gone directly to the pool, because it was just moments later that his grandfather found him," Vatral told WJAR. "The family absolutely had everything in place, the pool was away from the house, there were two locked gates."
Eli was a boy who loved playing with his family.
"Eli absolutely loved life, he would just brighten any room, he always had a smile on his face," Vatral said.
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The Bethany Church of Nazarene is accepting in-person donations for the family to help with unexpected expenses.
"The pool's going to need to be dismantled and removed," Vatral explained.
The pastor tells WJAR he is helping the boy's family, including the grandfather, as they grieve this tremendous loss of a bright, young life.
"That's what Eli would want," Vatral said. "He would want them to go on."
