$74K Raised For Family Of Long Island Teen Killed In Sailboat Accident

LOCUST VALLEY, NY — A group of friends have organized a GoFundMe, raising over $74,000 for the family of the teenage boater who fell overboard off the Long Island coast two weeks ago.

The body of 19-year-old Jack Koch was found by a fisherman near Caumsett State Park in Lloyd Harbor on Sunday, his family said.

Koch has fallen off a sailboat near Centre Island on May 15, prompting a massive multi-agency search of the surrounding water.

Friends of Koch's mother, Kate, said that as her "friends and loved ones," they "have created this page as a resource for those looking to help" her.

"Kate, Will, and Henry have suffered an unimaginable loss with the tragic and unexpected passing of Jack," the post read on GoFundMe.

The post describes Jack Koch as "the son and brother that everyone wishes for: compassionate, hard-working, thoughtful, smart, funny."

"While Kate, Will, and Henry cope with the loss of Jack for the coming weeks, months, and years, we want to be able to provide them the support that they will need to take care of immediate unanticipated expenses, and to begin a life that with a heavy heart looks very different than how they envisioned," the post states.

"Kate, Will, and Henry’s life will never be the same and our goal with this fundraiser is to be able to take on the burdens of expenses that they did not anticipate so we can help them have the life that Jack was helping them create, a life centered around a home and opportunities."

The post concludes with the group asking that people help "in donating to Kate, Will, and Henry as they navigate this new and devastating reality."

An organizer told Patch, "Unfortunately our community has experience supporting families who've suffered terrible losses and this GoFundMe was created to answer the question of, 'how can we help?'"

"From past experience, we have learned that donating money has proven to be the best way to help the affected family during a time of such immeasurable sadness," she wrote in a text.

The U.S. Coast Guard officials suspended its search the day after Koch disappeared, on May 16, after a 20-hour search, officials said.

Several boats, including from the Coast Guard's Eatons Neck station, Oyster Bay Constable, the Bayville and Oyster Bay fire departments, and Nassau police's Marine Bureau responded as part of a water search.

Helicopters from the aviation units of Nassau police and the New York Police Department, as well as a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod, were all called in for overflight searches.

In a statement to Patch on Monday, the Koch family said volunteers from Christian Ministries, as well as various family and friends took part in the search.

"While our hearts are broken at the loss of Jack, we are relieved he has been returned to us and grateful for the outpouring of love, generosity, and support from our wonderful community," they said.

"Jack was the most loyal, kind, and hardworking young man and we will hold him in our hearts forever."

The search took place over 851 nautical square miles, the coast guard said.

Koch had fallen into the water while he was out with an 18-year-old friend sailing at around 11:30 p.m., and when he could not be found, the friend called another friend who was onshore, Nassau police said.

The teen, along with two other males, then took a boat and was able to find the sailboat along with the 18-year-old, but the 19-year-old could not be found, according to police.

The Coast Guard was originally contacted after a good Samaritan reported there were two people who fell in the water from a sailboat, near Lloyd Point at the entrance to Oyster Bay, at about 1 a.m., Petty Officer John Hightower said.