GoFundMe account established to return drowning victim to native Mexico

A GoFundMe account has been established to return the body of the Lexington man who drown Saturday at Laurel Lake to his native Mexico.

The account’s goal is to raise $6,000 to help the family of 42-year-old Alfonzo Sanchez-Gonzalez.

“Alfonso was a very loved person and was always willing to help anyone,” said Gisella Astolfo, who established the account.

Sanchez-Gonzalez was pronounced dead at Baptist Health Corbin where he was taken after being pulled from the lake near the spillway beach at approximately 3 p.m.

Emergency personnel were called to the scene off of Ky. 1193 in response to a report that a male subject in his mid-30s had gone underwater and not resurfaced.

Officials said bystanders were able to pulled Sanchez-Gonzalez from the water and began CPR before Whitley EMS arrived. However, they estimated that he had been underwater for eight minutes.

Whitley EMS transported Sanchez-Gonzalez to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told officials with the Kentucky Division of Forestry that Sanchez-Gonzalez appeared to be swimming normally when he suddenly went underwater near the shoreline and never resurfaced.

Since the fundraising effort began on Sunday, it has raised $1,900.

The effort may be found under the name Ayuda Para Alfonso Sanchez, which translates to, “Help for Alfonso Sanchez.”