KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A GoFundMe account has been started for the boy who was recovered from a pond in Kaukauna overnight Tuesday.
The boy’s father, Jason Tapio, identified him as Dylun Tapio, 12.
“My oldest, Dylun, he loved animals,” said Jason Tapio. “I got home about 9 and his brothers go running by the house and they said they were going to go down and see Dylun and they were gone for quite a while, about 25 minutes and they didn’t come back.”
Tapio says right then, he knew something was wrong.
“I was told there was a pond over here and I found the shoes from the other boy that got saved and there was no sign of Dylun,” he said.
Officials say Dylun was playing with his three brothers, ages 7, 11 and 11 on Tuesday night.
The boys were out releasing a turtle into a retention pond on the grounds of Lamplighter Apartments around 9:30 p.m., officials say.
At one point, at least three of the boys were in the pond when one on the bank saw two of them struggling in the water. The boy yelled for help and a mother and adult daughter from the apartment building rushed out. The daughter jumped into the pond and pulled out two of the boys. One of the boys was unaccounted for.
“I got to meet her and say thank you but that’s not enough. I mean.. she saved… if it wouldn’t have been for her, we’d have two of them gone right now and maybe more,” Tapio said.
He went on to say the boys ended up in the water because one of his sons slipped while looking for frogs.
“And, kind of, went out toward the middle, so Dylun helped get him out the way but couldn’t save himself and ended up drowning, saving his brother.”
Rescue crews were called to the pond to search for Dylun.
When Dylun was found, he was taken to a hospital where life-saving attempts were performed. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officials believe Dylun was in the pond for about 1.5 to 2 hours before he was recovered.
The incident remains under investigation.
Fire and police officials say they are working with the Kaukauna School District following the tragedy as that’s where the brothers attend school.
Tapio said the boys are okay swimmers, but wouldn’t consider them experts.
Tapio said Dylun would’ve turned 13 years old on Thursday.
The father is asking a gate or fence be placed around the ponds.
The money raised will go toward the Tapio family to cover medical bills and funeral expenses, according to the GoFundMe account.
- Click here to donate to the GoFundMe account
The city of Kaukauna responded Thursday with the following statement:
“We at the City of Kaukauna, were saddened to learn of the passing of a young boy as a result of Tuesday night’s tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family during this difficult time.”
