Jay Agli died attempting to save Kishana M. Rivera from drowning, Haddam, Connecticut, June 11, 2017. Rivera, 19, and a girl were struggling to swim back to a submerged sandbar in the cold, swift current of the Connecticut River at a state park. Rivera’s family, including her brother, Jay, 17, high school student, were in knee-high water on the sandbar. While Rivera called for help, the other girl’s stepfather swam to the girl and, with difficulty, took her to safety. Although Jay could not swim, he left the sandbar and began to move toward Rivera, attempting to reach her, but upon entering deeper water he submerged. Others, too, entered the river in an attempt to reach Rivera, who floated downstream to a point where those on a boat removed her from the water. Rivera, who swallowed water, was evaluated by paramedics at the scene and recovered. Authorities employed boats and divers to search the scene and located Jay’s body two days later in 25-foot-deep water in the vicinity of where he was last seen. He had drowned
89191-10038Obituary
Jay David Agli, III, 17, son of Jessica Vega, died on June 13, 2017, in an act of heroism in behalf of his sister at Haddam Meadows State Park on June 11, 2017.
Born in Meriden, Conn., on Nov. 19, 1999, Jay was the son of Jessica Vega and Norberto Ortiz and his biological father, Jay David Agli, Jr. A lifelong Meriden resident, Jay attended Orville H. Platt High School, where he was to be a senior in the next school year. He was selfless, kind, funny, and most of all, he made everyone feel like part of his family. He loved cars.
Jay was buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Meriden.
(Edited from an obituary published in the Record-Journal in Meriden on June 16, 2017.)