KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Urias Gbarjolo loved to take photos, often finding himself behind the camera at sporting events and gatherings with friends.
But more than anything, he wanted to do right by his family.
“He told me, he said, ‘Ma, I’m gonna make you guys proud. And I’m going to get through the battle of the education,’" said Theresa Gbarjolo, Urias’ mother.
Urias did just that. He was a straight-A student through high school and college, recently making the Dean’s List at the University of Dubuque.
Last month, Urias’ promising life was tragically cut short.
“My husband called me outside, he said, ‘Come, let's go home.’ I said, what's going on? He said, ‘Let's go home, something happened,’” Theresa recalled. “So when I came outside, he told me, he said, ‘Urias has drowned and they're trying to look for him. They can't find him.’"
On May 27, the 21-year-old went under the water at Lake Red Rock and never resurfaced. His body was found near the White Breast Boat Ramp the next morning.
Born in a refugee camp, Urias and his family moved to Colorado when Urias was a little boy. He grew up in Denver, but moved to Iowa with his family in 2018.
Urias was a talented athlete, playing football and running track. Despite his busy practice schedule in high school and college, he made academics a priority.
Since the May tragedy, the Gbarjolo family has been looking for answers surrounding Urias’ death. There is an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the drowning
“I just want to know what happened to him that day at the [Lake] Red Rock,” said Naomie, Urias’ sister. “It hurts because your loved one, you know, that's my brother.”