Daniel Cullison GoFundMe: Family of Livermore Del Valle drowning victim launch fundraiser in wake of his death

On Saturday, May 27, 26-year-old Daniel Cullison drowned in a lake at Livermore Del Valle. The victim was reportedly on a fishing trip. He entered the lake to retrieve an oar that had fallen from his family's boat but began to struggle once underwater. After a search that lasted hours, a rescue team recovered his body.

In the wake of the tragedy, Daniel Cullison's family launched a GoFundMe initiative to help with the costs of his funeral service. The 26-year-old was identified by the Danvilles San Roman paper as a resident of San Jose. The Alameda County Coroner's Office ruled out any possibility of foul play in his death.

---

An underwater search was conducted for Daniel Cullison

As reported by KTVU, Daniel Cullison initially drowned at approximately 4 pm. The incident occurred near a cove outside the protected lake area when he attempted to retrieve the oar from his fishing boat. Witnesses said that he appeared to struggle as soon as he entered the water.

After family members lost sight of Daniel Cullison, they called officers of the East Bay Regional Park District Marine Patrol. The officers marked the area while district lifeguards searched underwater for Cullison. After nearly six hours, they discovered the body inside the cove. The boy was found at approximately 9:20 pm.

After authorities officially identified the remains as those of Cullison, his family commented on the tragic death on the GoFundMe Page. Casandra Castrejon, who started the page on behalf of the victim's family, acknowledged the loss. Castrejon wrote:

"We have lost our angel Daniel Cullison. Beloved fiancé son friend and club prez. We lost him to an unfortunate fishing accident."

The victim was publicly identified after his next of kin was informed of his death.

---

Drowning incidents across America

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States of America has an estimated 4000 unintentional fatal drownings on an annual basis. There are an additional 8000 non-fatal drownings, which is roughly 22 incidents per day.

The CDC noted that children between the ages of 1 and 4 are at the highest risk of drowning. 80% of fatal drowning victims are also male. Scholars have speculated that this is because of factors such as risk-taking behaviors and increased exposure to water, through activities such as fishing or watersports.

In cases where victims survive, 40% require hospitalization. The long-term effects of a drowning incident can cause long-term cognitive and physical impairments. In several cases, drowning victims have had prior disorders which cause seizures or heart conditions. Doctors have noted that in several cases, drowning victims have had alcohol in their systems.

The circumstances behind Daniel Cullison's drowning remain unknown.