McFarland brothers perish in Myrtle Beach
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Family and friends of two Darlington boys are grieving after a tragic drowning incident took the lives of 17-year-old Mikease McFarland and his 12-year old brother Miyon last week.
Around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6, three members of the McFarland family – reportedly including Mikease, his little brother Miyon, and their 20 year-old sister Mikeia – were witnessed in distress in the ocean near 43rd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach.
While Mikeia was able to return to shore on her own, Mikease was rescued by lifeguards and given CPR on the beach, and was then taken to Grand Strand Hospital. After a short period on life support, Mikease died Friday, July 8.
As of press time, the body of 12-year-old Miyon has not been recovered.
When word of the tragedy began to spread, community members offered prayers and reflections, reaching out to memorialize the boys on social media.
“I am often the witness to many tragic events in people’s lives. It is a sad and terrible burden of the job public safety takes on. However it has been many years since my heart has been so moved by such a sudden and terrible loss as this one. Both of these young men were taken in a single afternoon from the McFarland Family. There is nothing as devastating as the loss of a child by a parent. The loss of two as one time is almost too much to bear I am sure. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers,” wrote Darlington Police Chief Danny Watson on Facebook.
Darlington High School marching band director Brendon L. Johnson also shared his thoughts online with a poem marking the loss of the beloved student he called “Marching Mikease.”
“Marching Mikease never missed a beat; Filled with love, compassion and pride; Mikease had a presence that couldn’t be denied. Although he may seem far away, just know that he’s Marching up the King’s Highway,” Johnson wrote.
Services for Mikease McFarland were scheduled for Wednesday July 13th at 2:00 p.m. in the Darlington High School Gymnasium, located at 525 Spring Street in Darlington. A repast catered by the DHS Marching Band in the school cafeteria was to follow the funeral. The family received visitors at their home Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Anyone interested in contributing to help the McFarland family with funeral expenses may visit www.gofundme.com/ 2ddqxnmk