GALVESTON, Texas — The devastated parents of a little boy who drowned at Moody Gardens over the weekend are remembering the things that made their son special.
Asher Rayburn, 4, somehow fell into the pool at the popular hotel and tourist attraction around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Galveston police said. Witnesses performed CPR and Asher was rushed to the University of Texas Medical Branch but he died Sunday.
"We are broken, lost, but so thankful and blessed to have spent the past 4, almost 5 years with him," Asher's dad shared on a GoFundMe page.
On a separate GoFundMe account, Asher's mom called him her "best friend" and the one who always made her "dark days lighter."
She said the family drove to Galveston from Paris, Texas to celebrate Asher's upcoming 5th birthday.
"However, with great sadness, I’ll be making the trip back home without him in the backseat," she posted. "I haven’t yet really figured out how to walk this walk without my best friend. But I must do so for the sake of my other two children."
Asher's dad described him as a "typical boy, very animated and the joker of the family."
He said Asher loved being outdoors and that's how he spent his final day.
"He spent the whole day swimming, playing, and having lots of fun. He even got to watch a firework show," he posted. "He had the biggest blue eyes that could melt your heart. He was a pure joy to be around. Pray for us as we find a new way to live in this life without our Ashy boy."
Asher would have turned 5 on Thursday.
Moody Gardens said Asher and his family were guests at the hotel.
They are investigating the circumstances that led to the drowning.
In a statement released Sunday, Moody Gardens President and CEO John Zendt asked for community support to get them through the difficult time.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred Saturday evening at our hotel. As a parent and grandparent, my heart breaks for this family. We urge everyone to keep this family in their closest prayers," Zendt said in the statement. "We kindly ask for the media’s and public’s understanding and respect for the privacy of the affected family during this profoundly difficult time and all of the other families staying with us. This is a situation that is difficult for anyone to process, especially those who were here and are a part of the Moody Gardens family."