Greenlake drowning victims were SCC students; one from Shoreline

Euel Desta

Two young men who drowned late Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, at Green Lake in Seattle have been identified by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as Euel Desta, 21, of Shoreline, and Abenezer Getachew, 23, of Snohomish County.

Both Desta and Getachew were students at Shoreline Community College and had been attending classes during summer quarter. According to media reports, both were unresponsive when pulled from the water and later died at Harborview Medical Center.

“Euel was just such an inspirational young man,” said Mariko Kakiuchi, Assistant Director of Career Education Options (CEO), a support program that assisted Desta. “He was making such great progress.” While not officially participating with CEO, others said that Getachew was regularly there because the two were such good friends and always together.

Abenezer Getachew

Yvonne Terrell-Powell, Director of Equity, Engagement and Counseling Services and High School Programs said counseling services would be available on campus through her office. 

Friends have opened a fundraising effort for funeral expenses for Desta, whose only relative in the United States is his grandmother.