Teen found underwater at Manchester High School dies

MANCHESTER, Conn. (WTNH) -- There is unimaginable grief just a day before the Thanksgiving holiday. A teenager is dead after drowning in the pool at his high school.

Fourteen other students and a physical education teacher were at the Manchester High School pool when 14-year-old Malvrick Donkor went under water.

He was pulled out of the pool and rushed to the hospital, but it was just too late.

News 8's Erin Logan spoke to students who are grieving the loss of a classmate.

One of those students was in the class and witnessed the horrifying moments. It was difficult for him to recount the story to News 8 and his mother shortly after.

"We are all going to pray for him and his mom," said

A distraught mother stayed strong for her son as they waited and wondered the condition of one his classmates found unresponsive at the bottom of Manchester High School's swimming pool.

Duran Smith was in that gym class of 15 students.

"I was in the pool area talking to one of my friends and I just saw the teacher running towards the deep end," said Smith. "He dove in and when he put the kid over his shoulder and he wasn't moving at all."

Superintendent Richard Kisiel says police and EMT's were called to the school around 10:30 Wednesday morning, just minutes after the class ended. The 14 year-old was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The news, of course, was the last thing expected. Kisiel finds himself thinking about the tragedy in neighboring East Hartford's swimming pool less than a year ago.

"It always crosses my mind," he said. "Every time I'm in that high school."

"Can you tell us if the student had a medical condition of some sort," asked News 8's Erin Logan.

"I have no information on his medical conditions," Kisiel said.

Some older students tell News 8 they have fond memories of swim class at Manchester High School and the teachers take the class very seriously.

"There are all types of levels in the gym class and the ones who are advanced do their thing," said Estefany Alvarez, student. "The ones that aren't, they focus more on them and they don't push us to do anything we're not confident with."

Smith says the kids all seemed to feel safe in the class, and like Alvarez said, there are some more advanced than others.

"He said he wasn't that great of a swimmer. He was in the shallow end when he was actually swimming."