The dim glow from the dozens of candles lit in memory of Paul Jose Rodriguez Jr. was a warm contrast to the darkening sky above the Mendenhall Glacier and lake where family, friends and community members gathered to honor him Wednesday night.
A candlelit vigil was held at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to honor Paul Rodriguez Jr., pictured, who drowned while kayaking on Mendenhall Lake last week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Dozens of residents gathered Wednesday night at a pavilion at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to honor Paul Rodriguez Jr. who drowned while kayaking on Mendenhall Lake last week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The vigil was held a day after it was discovered that a camera attached to a helmet that belonged to Rodriguez, who was reported missing since last Tuesday while kayaking near the Mendenhall Glacier, indicated that he drowned when his kayak overturned.
[Camera of missing man near Mendenhall Glacier discovered, reveals he drowned]
Michelle Tagaban, a family member of Rodriguez, spoke to the crowd gathered for the vigil under a pavilion looking out to the glacier and thanked them for coming to honor Rodriguez, who was a Juneau resident.
“This is a village, and Paul loved it here and Paul loved you all,” she said. “He is here, he is right here somewhere and we will find him and get him home.”
A small candle burns Wednesday night at a pavilion at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Dozens of residents gathered to honor Paul Rodriguez Jr. who drowned while kayaking on Mendenhall Lake last week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Dan Ewing, an organizer of the vigil who had known Rodriguez for more than 17 years, said a prayer over the crowd before a moment of silence was held.
Ewing described Rodriguez as someone who always helped people no matter what and said he had a deep love for his son, Jaden.
“He’d do anything to help anybody — he’d give you the shirt off his back — he was always helping people,” he said. “I don’t think I ever met anyone that met him and didn’t walk away like ‘that’s a great guy.’”
This is a photo of Paul Jose Rodriguez Jr. shared by a friend who said he sent the photo to her the day he was reported missing on July 11. (Courtesy / JoAnna Pilapil)
The body of Rodriguez, who was 43, has yet to be recovered from the lake, but a multi-agency search of the area remains ongoing as of Wednesday, according to Alisha Seward, incident commander for Alaska State Troopers. Underwater camera and sonor equipment is being utilized in the search and more gear is expected to arrive in Juneau to assist in the effort.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651) 528-1807.
