Mourners from across South Florida gathered Saturday to remember the lives of Andrew and Alex Paul, twin brothers gone from this world too soon after drowning in a northwest Miami-Dade lake in early April.
In the midst of this grief, everyone who spoke at the funeral - whether it was local leader, law enforcement or pastors - all agreed everyone should show the same love and courage that Andrew and Alex had.
A Haitian creole service called a homegoing celebration was held for Alex and Andrew, who their family described as full of love, laughter, and respect for others.
“He (Andrew) talked to me saying Pastor Fanfan, you didn’t have the opportunity to know us when we were alive,” said Pastor Fanfan Floreal, who led the service. “But I want you to talk to my Mommy, daddy, and sister and brothers for me. If only you could see me and Alex on Jesus’s lap!”
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Both teens who were pulled from the lake at Arthur Woodward Park were rushed to the hospital and later died, leaving the tragic reality on the Pinewood community.
“And when we come back, I heard her crying and then I saw what's going on. 'Why are you crying?' And then they told me the kids is at hospital," said Adlene D'Haiti, who spoke on behalf of the teen's parents during an April 8 interview with NBC6. "And when I went to the hospital, I heard that they already die.”
According to law enforcement, the twin teens were playing near an embankment, when one fell in. The other brother immediately jumped in to save him.
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“You will always remember boys. The infinite love that they each had for each other,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastien. “And they showed it by making the ultimate sacrifice.”
Both brothers did not know how to swim and drowned. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue firefighters who pulled their bodies out of the water honored Alex and Andrew with firefighter helmets.
“It takes a special person to become a hero….it is unequivocally clear that because of their bravery, Alex and Andrew possess these qualities,” said MDFR Capitan Charles Francois.
Andrew was described as adventurous and loved football. He dreamed of playing for the NFL while Alex loved math, learning in school, and dreamed of becoming a police officer.
“In his last act on this world, out of his everlasting love for his brother, he sacrificed himself for his brother,” said North Miami Police Interim Chief Angel Rivera. “Now if that doesn’t embody what a police officer is, nothing else will.”
The family released a statement, saying in part “We believe they are gone too soon. But God only takes the best. And they were angels that dwelled among us for a little while to make us smile.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022 Florida ranked 6th in the U.S. per capita for unintentional drowning deaths among children ages 0 to 17 years of age.
The Florida Department of Children and Families reported 93 drownings in 2022. This year, there have already been 22 drownings in the state of Florida.
