21-Year-Old Granada High Graduate Drowns Memorial Day Weekend

LIVERMORE, CA — A 21-year-old who graduated from Granada High School in 2019 drowned on Saturday near Chico, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

Jonathan “Jonny” Nguyen was hiking and swimming with his family on Saturday around the Feather River, BCSO spokesperson Megan McMann told Patch. At around 3 p.m. Saturday, Nguyen reportedly dove off the Magalia Head Dam near the west branch of the Feather River. He briefly resurfaced, then went under the water.

Crews from Butte County Sheriff’s Department Search & Rescue and CalFire searched extensively using boats, diving equipment, helicopters and drones. Teams found Nguyen’s body at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Nguyen grew up in Livermore and graduated from Smith Elementary School, Mendenhall Middle School, Granada High School, and Chico State University, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Nguyen’s GHS wrestling coach Sean Jackson. Jackson called Nguyen a “standout wrestler” who won two North Coast Section medals and helped lead the team to its first League Championship in over 10 years.

Nguyen had an impressive record that included 90 career varsity wins, 50 career varsity bonus point wins, 36 career varsity wins by pin, and four North Coast Section qualifiers, according to an email shared with Patch written by the GHS wrestling coaches.

“Jonny was a part of our first freshmen class in 2015, that group was fundamental in building the program we have at Granada today and Jonny was the heart and soul of it,” GHS Varsity Wrestling Coach Spencer Phillips wrote. “Jonny had the perfect blend of serious determination and carefree joy that made him a great leader amongst his peers.”

Nguyen is survived by his parents, two younger sisters, and a grandmother.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Nguyen’s GoFundMe page has raised $38,370 from 628 people, with a $50,000 goal. Anyone interested in helping the family can also volunteer to provide them with a free meal.

The tragedy marks the second known drowning to affect Livermore over Memorial Day weekend. 26-year-old Daniel Cullison of San Jose drowned at Lake Del Valle at 3:50 p.m. Saturday, around the same time as Nguyen. Cullison dove into the water to retrieve an oar while boating with his family, according to East Bay Regional Parks officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists a number of tips to avoid drowning, including wearing a life jacket, learning CPR, and understanding the risks of natural waters.