It is difficult for Annette Crumity to recall her son's age. She has mixed emotions. She is mourning her son Damien's death, all the way trying to stay strong for her sister whose son is still missing.
"I believe in my heart that he's still alive. I just don't feel that anything is wrong. He swam up on one of the islands somewhere," said Yolanda Moore, mother of the missing man.
Damien Crumity, 29, a local rapper, and his cousin, Irwin Torrell Richmond, 27, were wade fishing early Sunday morning at the mouth of the Brazos River when a rip current knocked them off their feet and swept them away. It happened right in front of Damien's two sons. The men's uncle was also there.
"I started hollering, 'You're out too far. Come back.' And I ran out there as fast as I could," said Robert Richmond.
But there was nothing he could do.
"We tried with all our life to try to get them, but we could never reach them," said Richmond.
Two Coast Guard officials briefed the family on their search Monday. Damien's body was recovered Sunday afternoon.
"I know he's with God. I know that," said Moore.
Despite the Coast Guard calling off its search, the family believes Torrell is still out there and everyone is praying the news will be good.
"We know one thing. He's a survivor and he never gives up. He believes in God and for him not to be in the water now, he has to be on land," said Torrell's father, Erwin Moore.
Equusearch will start looking for Torrell Richmond on Wednesday. Volunteers will load up and head down to Freeport for a land search.
Damien Crumity is known as "Big Tantrum" on the local rap scene. Funeral arrangements are pending. His family has set up an account for donations for his funeral. It is through Sterling Bank for the Big Tantrum/Damien donation account.
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