Jared Fearby, a senior at SUNY-ESF, died Friday in an apparent drowning.

Fearby, a conservation biology major, was fly fishing with his grandfather in Orleans County, New York, when he fell into the water, Syracuse.com reported. 

SUNY-ESF informed the college’s community of Fearby’s death in a tweet Saturday afternoon.

“Jared died while doing something he loved,” the college said. “We extend our condolences to Jared’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Jared Fearby was a senior conservation biology major at SUNY-ESF. Courtesy of SUNY-ESF

Fearby and his grandfather became separated while wading in Johnson Creek, Undersheriff Michael Mele of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office said in a video press conference posted Friday to YouTube.

The creek reaches depths of 6 to 8 feet at the center, and the water’s current varies in speed, Mele said. Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ashley Stornelli said during the press conference that it’s possible Fearby waded into a deep spot of the creek without realizing it.

A resident of Kent, New York, Fearby hoped to have a job that allowed for environmental conservation and improvement, according to his profile on a website researching environmentally-friendly urban infrastructure.

Published on January 4, 2020 at 7:12 pm

Contact Emma: esfolts@syr.edu