Brothers, Tavaughn (21) and Tavaris Bulgin (26), who drowned after jumping from the American Legion Memorial (Jaws) Bridge in Massachusetts, have been remembered by members of their community as destined for greatness and making a positive impact.
A GoFundMe account setup for memorial services celebrated both the brothers for, “their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith and unrelenting positive attitude.” The fund which aimed to raise USD$50,000 has more than doubled the amount through an outpouring of contributions from over 1000 donors.
The brothers who studied business at the University of Technology in Jamaica were in the United States as part of the well-known work-and-travel summer programme, which each year employs hundreds of university students from Jamaica.
Tragedy struck on August 14 when, the brothers decided to join two other employees for a late-night swim. Jaws Bridge is a popular tourist attraction on the island and many people jump from it during the summer, despite a sign warning people against it. The waters are known to be treacherous, especially dangerous for novice swimmers. It was reported by the Massachusetts State Police that two of the four jumpers managed to escape the water to safety but around midnight, the police were contacted to assist in finding the Bulgin brothers. Tavaughn was found early Monday morning through the efforts of State Police and the US Coast Guard, while Tavaris was found by a shell fisherman on Thursday.
The brothers lived with their family in Clarendon, Jamaica. The parents of the brothers, Reverend Keith Bulgin, and his wife Jacqueline, had to be rushed to the May Pen Hospital on hearing of the tragedy.
As they mourn the loss of the brothers, family and friends highlighted the quality of both brothers’ characters on their GoFundMe page. “Tavaris was well known as a beloved schoolteacher, and Tavaughn was known to be a musical prodigy and gifted soccer/football player. Their enthusiasm for life, commitment to God and their church, and impact on their community are how family and friends remember them. Both boys were destined to make an impact in every community they served and every endeavor they pursued.”
