ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Classmates, friends and loved ones gathered Saturday afternoon to honor the life of 16-year-old Riley Teixeira.
The teen died after his canoe flipped over in the St. Johns River last Sunday.
It was an emotional few hours Saturday for dozens at Alpine Groves Park who gathered for a memorial vigil for Teixeira, who was a sophomore at Creekside High School.
A pastor spoke to the group and teens shared memories.
Some of his friends also created a memorial filled with flowers, pictures and candles.
Teixeira was canoeing with his friends Sunday night when the canoe flipped.
Two other boys made it to shore safely.
His close friends are remembering the impact Teixeira made on their lives.
“He made the biggest impact on people, and when I was at the lowest point of my life, he was the person that helped me gain confidence again,” Gaje Duerr said.
“I hope he hears what I have to say and hears my prayers and stuff and knows we’re all here for him and love him. Everyone misses him,” Brady Goodfriend said.
According to the initial synopsis from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the canoe capsized approximately a quarter-mile from the shore, and “there were no life jackets used or in the canoe.”
The cause of the canoe overturning remains undetermined.