Beloved teacher ‘underwater for several minutes’ dies in Pennsylvania kayak accident
A beloved teacher in Pennsylvania died in a kayaking accident while out adventuring with his father, according to local news reports.
The dad and son were kayaking the Delaware River in New Hope Sunday, May 22, the Bucks County Herald reported, when they overturned over the rapids.
Jonathan Gentile was “underwater for several minutes” before he resurfaced, New Hope Police Chief Michael Cummings told the newspaper. His dad started CPR before the man was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
“It is with profound sadness that we express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Jon Gentile, a beloved teacher and coach at BPHS,” Bethel Park School District tweeted May 24. “Mr. Gentile had taught at Bethel Park for many years and has impacted the lives of many students and colleagues during that time.”
Bethel Park Assistant Superintendent Zeb Jansante said in a statement to KDKA that the teacher’s death is a “devastating loss.”
“Jon epitomized the spirit of Bethel Park in everything he did and he made an enormous difference in the lives of his current and past students and student-athletes,” he added.
Gentile taught social studies, KDKA reported.
Friends and colleagues described Gentile as a teacher who students looked up to, according to WXPI. He was also an “avid outdoorsman” known for wearing flannel and plaid to school, so students honored his memory by wearing plaid to school after his death.
Gentile was a “husband, father, son, teacher, coach, colleague, and friend (who) touched so many of us over the years,” according to a GoFundMe raising funds for his family.
“As we remember and move forward, let’s try to harness his spirit,” the post continues. “Jon never turned down an adventure ... and he was always ready with a joke or a laugh. He understood what is easy to forget: life is short; we should have fun, love hard, and not take ourselves too seriously.”
Bethel Park is a suburb south of Pittsburgh and about 325 miles west of where he was kayaking near New Hope.
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Beloved teacher ‘underwater for several minutes’ dies in Pennsylvania kayak accident."