HS Marching Band Member Drowns at Pool Party

Paschal marching band identifies teenager as sophomore Rick Sek

Friends and family of a teenage boy who drowned in a pool at the Lockheed Martin Recreation Association on Friday night came together less than 24 hours to remember the 15-year-old.

Rick Sek was pronounced dead at a Fort Worth hospital after he was pulled from the LMRA pool in the 3400 block of Bryant Irvin Road at 8:29 p.m.

Paschal High School's marching band said on its website that Sek drowned at its annual end-of-camp pool party.

“I’m just trying to comfort my mom, help her out with anything around the house, because she’s taking it really hard,” said Sarah Sek, his 16-year-old sister.

She said she thinks the drowning was more of a “freak accident," but told NBC 5 that her brother was not a strong swimmer.

Oakleigh Beard, Paschal band president and friend of her brother, shared her favorite memory with the hundreds of others gathered at Saturday's memorial.

“One day, after the most ridiculous band practice, Rick walks up to me and pokes me in the stomach. He says, 'You know, I love band. Band is my family. Oakleigh, you’re my family,'” she said.

Paschal High School is also trying to rally community support. A donation box for the Sek family was set up at the Saturday evening memorial.

"Please lift up the Sek family in your thoughts and prayers today," the Paschal Panthers said in the posting on its website. "Also, include our directors and students, who are devastated by this tragedy."

The Fort Worth Fire Department said fire crews, which were dispatched at 8:29 p.m., found lifeguards performing CPR on Sek. The lifeguards told fire crews that they had used their automatic external defibrillator on him before crews arrived.

The Lockheed Martin Recreation Association is a nonprofit corporation that offers recreation programs, services and facilities for Lockheed Martin employees, retirees and dependents.

"While we don't know the details of the incident, which is being investigated by the proper authorities, we are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life," Lockheed Martin spokesman Joe Stout said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the fellow students of the young man."

NBC 5's Mark Schnyder contributed to this report.

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