CLEVELAND — A family is searching for closure after a 31-year-old man fell into the Cuyahoga River on Friday and has yet to be found.
While fishing with friends near Jefferson Avenue on Friday night, Toneshwar "Tony" Persaud tripped and fell into the river, according to his friends.
Tony's mother, Radicka Persaud, said that one of the friends he was fishing with told her that the current was so strong that Tony ended up in the middle of the river.
"They said they tried to save him, but because of the current, they couldn't, so I don't know," Persaud said. "But since then, they've been searching, no updates so far."
The Cleveland Division of Fire began conducting dive operations in rescue mode Friday night, but with strong currents and nighttime conditions, divers were unable to find him
The search resumed over the weekend with additional help from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"ODNR came on scene to use their sonar. They came up with what looked like a promising hit, but when we investigated, it wasn't the victim that we're looking for," Lt. Mike Norman, with Cleveland Fire, said.
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As of Monday, the search for Tony has been suspended.
"For a period of time, it's a rescue mission, and after a period of time, it's a recovery mission," Norman said.
As officials wait for any sign of Tony's body, Persaud stays by the water, hoping she will see her son again.
"I don't think it really hit me yet that he's gone," Persaud said. "I still feel like he's gonna walk through the door any minute."
The silence of the unknown weighs heavily on Persaud, who describes her son as a happy person who never sees the bad in anyone.
"He doesn't deserve it," Persaud said. "Anybody he comes in contact with, anybody he meets, they instantly fall in love with him."
Persaud now has to live with that uncertainty every day, sitting by the river, waiting for her son to be found.
"Show yourself, so we can find you and then go through our process from there, find peace for your soul," she said.
