An Iowa teacher who died at a reservoir alongside one of her 10-year-old students made a desperate attempt to rescue the boy, his grieving father said Friday.
Ahmed Osman, a fifth grader at Borlaug Elementary School, entered the Coralville Lake Reservoir during a school field trip Tuesday. His teacher, 24-year-old Hannah Jorgensen, followed him into the water, Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Osman, told The New York Times.
“We didn’t believe he would leave us this soon,” Mohamed said. He described his son as a child with “a lot of dreams,” including hopes of becoming a doctor or professional soccer player.
Ahmed and his classmates had been taking part in a five-day educational trip at the MacBride Nature Recreation Area when the fatal incident occurred.
Authorities have not said exactly when Ahmed entered the reservoir. His body was located Wednesday, one day after search teams recovered Jorgensen’s remains.
The students were participating in the University of Iowa’s “School of the Wild” program, which gives children hands-on lessons about nature in the park. The recreation area is leased to the university by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to The Times.
Ahmed’s family came to the United States from Sudan in 2011. His father remembered him as an enthusiastic soccer fan and a gifted student who stood out for his ability in mathematics.
Mohamed said dozens of Sudanese immigrants traveled to the park to grieve and support the family after Ahmed’s death.
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Before joining Borlaug Elementary, Jorgensen had taught at several other schools across Iowa.
“Hannah and Ahmed were so much more than members of our school community,” the Iowa City School District said in a Facebook statement.
The district added that their loss would be deeply felt “in the classrooms and hallways of Borlaug,” by those who knew and loved them, and across the wider Iowa City school community.
A large search-and-recovery operation was launched at the reservoir. The response involved the Johnson County Metro Dive Team, area fire departments, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Patrol, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and medical personnel, authorities said.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also expressed her sympathy to Borlaug Elementary students, teachers and staff.
“This unimaginable loss touches the entire Borlaug Elementary community and Iowa City School District,” Reynolds said in a statement.
She added: “Please know that Iowans across our state are standing with you in the difficult days ahead.”