Details of the death of a Colombian in Canada: he promised his daughter he would return at Christmas

“Cuchito, I love you very much. Have a great day”. This was the last message that Gustavo Reyes received from his son Óscar David Reyes on December 9, 2023. Just a few hours ago the young man had arrived in Canada from Colombia and, after that conversation, the earth swallowed him up, point that until 53 days later his body was found in the Cleveland Dam.

What was a trip in which Óscar carried the dreams of his life became a mystery that, despite the fact that his body was found, now does not let Don Gustavo sleep, who from Miami, United States, is fighting to repatriate to Colombia. your son and meet The truth about his death.

(Also read: The enigma surrounding the death of the Colombian who disappeared in Canada for 53 days).

Óscar was a person who filled the lives of his loved ones with color, with his creativity and his love for teaching he dedicated hours of his life to little Isabella, his 8 year old daughter and the light in her eyeswho called him 'papa momo' affectionately.

Even though he no longer lived with 'Isa's' mother, he counted the minutes to see those little eyes again that looked at him with love looking to spend the best afternoons of games of his life.

He was always a “go-getter” person, he completed his studies as industrial designer at El Bosque University and every time he could he put his imagination to work, giving a first stroke that resulted in great paintings of his own. He was a person with unparalleled ingenuity.

(You can read: 'The sea caught her': Quindiana tourist drowned on San Bernardo del Viento beach).

A long-awaited trip

In his father's memory lives the memory of a wonderful person, an exemplary son and an excellent brother, and even though he was in another country, with his other son, his concern for him was always there. Distance did not exist when it came to talking for hours on the cell phone with his family.

His desire to continue succeeding and forge an unparalleled future was so great that he made the decision to process the canadian visaa safe passport to go to the country that does not distinguish between cultures.

Long months passed before they gave him the green light, until one Monday, December 5, he received news that gave him so much emotion that without further waiting he bought the tickets and packed his suitcase to leave on Friday the 8th, but not before saying goodbye to his love. life: his daughter Isabella.

(Keep reading: Anguished cry from the family of a Colombian who died in Chile to repatriate his body).

A promise remained in the air after that farewell, as he assured his little girl that he would spend Christmas by her side.sharing great gifts, playing, singing and dancing to the sound of December music.

No one expected that the future would deal such a hard and devastating blow, since everything happened normally. Óscar took a flight in the early morning of December 8 from Bogotá to Mexicowhere he stopped for four hours to leave again by plane to Vancouver (Canada), the city that took away his dreams.

With a suitcase full of fantasies, he finally set foot on Canadian soil and the joy could not be greater, because his plans included, If everything went well, he would apply for a student visa and Canada would become part of his home..

Thus, around 4 in the afternoon that same day, the young man got off the plane and with his royal blue travel suitcase decided that the first place he should visit was the home of his trusted friend, who lived in the province. western British Columbia.

(You can read: Relatives of a patrol boat who died in Bogotá demand support for transfer to Riohacha).

'Cuchito, I love him very much'

After reading his notebook, Óscar decided to look for a hotel to stay in while he got a room to organize his things. He then arrived at 'The Met Hotel', in downtown New Westminster, where he spent the night of December 8.

The next day, the young man got up early with the intention of finding accommodation and, around 6 in the morning, He left the hotel rolling his suitcase until he took a taxi that would take him to the last destination where he was seen alive..

“Cuchito, I love him very much. Have a great day,” it was the last message that came from Óscar's cell phone at 7:06 in the morning on December 9two minutes later it disconnected and it was as if any trace of the young man had disappeared in just seconds.

Thousands of calls and messages invaded the notifications of the young Bogota native's turned-off cell phone. Immediately, despair and worry burst into the lives of his relatives, who moved heaven and earth checking for any clue that would lead them to Óscar's whereabouts.

Thus they passed the worst days that a family could live, waiting for a divine sign and putting faith in God at all times.

The New Westminster Police Department would be the authority in charge of investigating the case, but according to the account of the young man's father, communication has been null, as has collaboration.

“They did absolutely nothing“Gustavo said with a little anger in his voice. What would have happened, according to Óscar's father, was that for more than 20 days they searched for his son with the incorrect description, since he was not wearing the clothes she had in the reference image when he left the hotel.

Broken promise for Christmas

The terrible news kept reaching the family: On December 29, they were informed that a royal blue suitcase with the same characteristics as the one Oscar was carrying was found floating in the Cleveland dam., 35 kilometers from where the hotel where he stayed is. The hopes of finding him alive were fading.

The days passed and no one gave the family of the young man from Bogotá an answer regarding what was inside the suitcase.

The anguish grew. Although a non-profit foundation called Please Bring Me Home provided support and served as a mediator, authorities took their time in revealing the findings.

(You can read: Tragedy in Huila: student drowned after a trip to the river).

Until On January 8, they were finally informed of the contents of the suitcase.: Óscar's computer, his camera, his clothes (among which were the coat and shirt with which they were searching for him) and other luggage that the young man brought to the North American country.

“Why are the police so negligent?' They should have done things the right way”, said Óscar's father with great pain. And according to Gustavo, all this was known hours after the young man from Bogotá disappeared on December 9, reviewing the security cameras that were in the vicinity of the hotel to identify the taxi in which he got in.

Anger was mixed with great sadness in the family, who always waited for the young man, both on December 22, when it was the day he had planned for his return to Colombia, and on the 24th of the same month, when his 8-year-old daughter He was waiting for him back at the door of his home. Daddy Momo never came. That was the only gift he needed, but it wasn't like that..

2024 began and the family members were now waiting for a sign to at least find Oscar's body, asking God to finally give them peace and stop the intrigue that ate them every day.

On Jan. 2, the nonprofit organization informed relatives about a body that a passerby stumbled upon, although it was not known who it belonged to. Then the authorities requested DNA tests to identify the body.

Gustavo Reyes was the one who sent the DNA from Miami, United States. But, as always, the waiting time was very long, passing like this 28 days to confirm that the body found in the Cleveland dam was that of Óscar David Reyesthe 28-year-old from Bogotá.

The hypothesis of the death of a Colombian in Canada

Total There were 53 days in which despair took over the Reyes Lavacude family. Any hope was gone.

Now, the only thing his relatives want is for the authorities to carry out the relevant investigations to find the cause of the death of the young man, who until now is known, according to what was reported by the morgue, that he could have been accidental death.

Within six months they will receive the results of the autopsy that will confirm and validate or not the information that the young man accidentally fell into a river and whether the different fractures and lacerations on his body are due to this.

So far, his family organized a donation through the GoFundMe page under the name “Help Oscar David return home”, hoping to soon repatriate the young man's body to the proximity of his family, who hope to mourn him and say their last goodbye.

Nataly Barrera
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