Missing swimmer's body recovered in Lake Lanier

Missing swimmer's body recovered in Lake Lanier

His sister, Abigail Diaz, said Ramon did not know how to swim but was wearing a life vest.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - The body of a 27-year-old man who went missing during a boat outing on Lake Lanier has been recovered, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources confirmed Sunday.

What we know:

Ramon Diaz-Soria was found after an extensive day-and-a-half search that began Saturday. Authorities say he was on a boat trip with friends when he fell into the water and did not resurface.

Ramon Diaz-Soria

What they're saying:

His sister, Abigail Diaz, said Ramon did not know how to swim but was wearing a life vest. "He's such a good person," Diaz said. "So, it's like stuff like this you wouldn't imagine to happen to people like that."

Diaz said her brother fell into the water suddenly, and his friends were unable to rescue him. "They couldn't find him," she said. "They jumped immediately in to try to get him once they knew he was missing. But they said it was just, like, it all just happened so quick, and they didn't see anything."

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Georgia Department of Natural Resources launched a search effort Saturday that continued into Sunday. Officials first located a life vest. Later, sonar equipment helped locate Diaz-Soria’s body, and dive teams recovered it.

"I just wanted to run to the lake and jump in there," Abigail Diaz said. "And I myself don't know how to swim, but I feel like as anybody would when it comes to their family members, especially a sibling."

She said dozens of family members and friends gathered at the lake to support the search. "He's like a second dad to me, basically," she said. "He just believes that, like, if he has it to give, he'll give it. Even when he may not even have it. You'll never know because he's always going to offer that help."

Diaz-Soria worked with a group supporting young Hispanic professionals and also helped support his family financially. His sister described him as the light of their family.

"Everybody keeps saying that I'm strong, but to me, it's like I'm not strong," Abigail Diaz said. "My brother is the strong one and I'm strong because of him. So I don't know how I am supposed to be strong without him."

Diaz said her brother had dreams of returning to school and finishing his degree, and she held on to hope that one day he would be able to do see that dream come to fruition.