Mother of teen missing in river speaks

Canaan (WTNH) - Hopes of finding a missing teenager alive are fading after he was swept away in the Housatonic River, in Salisbury, Tuesday. Crews are now in a recovery mode looking for the teen's body while those close to the teen are grieving.

State Police continue to search the Housatonic River in Salisbury from the air. The raging waters are still too dangerous for divers. But, firefighters are walking the banks looking for 16-year-old Kaelan Paton. His mother said he went into the turbulent flood waters to rescue a friend who was being swept away by the current.

"The second boy was struggling. And, I asked him 'did you really feel caught?' And he said he did and he was going under, so Kaelan went to get him and they both went under," said Catherine Paton, Kaelan's mom. "The other boy came up and Kaelan was gone."

Catherine has been going to the falls where her son disappeared to be with him and to pray. The falls had always been an important part of their lives.

"My husband and I's first date was up there under the moonlight and I thought how can this be? That I am here now?" Catherine said. "My son is at the other end of that drop. My niece was with me and we prayed. I am a Christian, so we prayed in the name of God."

There were grief councilors at the high school for students. And family held a bon fire in his memory where people could sit around the fire and talk about Kaelan. His friends even posted a tribute to the 16-year-old on YouTube.

"He was very whitty, you know those one-liners that just got you," said Catherine. "He knows what you are thinking about and he is a couple of steps ahead. Very kind."

As the Paton family talk about the good times, remembering a son, a brother and friend, Catherine looks to the students who made it out of the river alive to carry his memory forward.

"I want to know how you do in life now," she said.