‘The most joyful person’; Family, friends remember teen boy who drowned in Monongahela River

GLASSPORT, Pa. — Standing in the pouring rain at the very spot Benjerman Coleman, known as Benny, was last seen before his tragic death, his heartbroken family honored his life.

Family and friends came together for an intimate vigil Sunday night to remember the 17-year-old as a loving brother, uncle and son.

“I’m obviously devastated. As he was my brother, he was definitely my best friend,” said Keion Coleman, Benny’s older brother. “I will miss him so much.”

Glassport Police said the McKeesport teen was swimming and fishing with a group of people in the Monongahela River Friday when he went under the water and never came back up. Dive teams and emergency crews searched the murky waters for hours using sonar and drones. They found the boy’s body the next morning several feet away from where he went in.

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“I want answers that I can’t get at the moment. Stories keep changing,” said Coleman.

Coleman said his younger brother didn’t know how to swim and didn’t even like the water.

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“This is so unusual,” he said. “Just thinking about this, it hurts me.”

Benny’s family said they want to remember him as a smiling teenager who loved his family and nephew.

“He was the most joyful person,” Coleman said. “He was the greatest uncle to my son. He was an amazing family member, a spectacular brother. I couldn’t ask for any better brother. [A] little brother who was doing big brother things for me. I can’t name anyone better than that.”

The family said Benny just turned 17. They wanted to celebrate that by singing happy birthday to him at the vigil.

Glassport Police Chief Shawn Deverse said they are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to Benny Coleman’s death.

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