Fishing Trip, Joey Allas Drowns - His Stepfather: "He Called Me Dad..."

On Sunday, October 19th, Joey Allas, a 21-year-old man from Bain-des-Dames, went fishing and never returned home. His family is struggling to cope with his absence.

Steve, Joey’s 47-year-old stepfather, is heartbroken, stating, "I feel an emptiness inside me." Joey was fishing at a pond behind the Fort-Victoria Central Electricity Board when he encountered difficulties and drowned in front of his 14-year-old brother and friends, who were unable to rescue him.

The family home now feels an immense void. Steve recalls how Joey always had the right words to make people laugh, saying, "He was like my own son. He called me Dad... He was the joker of the house and always made us laugh, even when there were problems."

Joey was always there for his family, especially since his mother and stepfather are not in good health. Steve mentioned that he has undergone heart surgeries and relies on a pension. Recently, Joey became a father to a five-month-old baby girl, but his relationship with her mother did not work out. Steve explains, "He faced many difficulties and returned home about four months ago, telling us not to worry, as he would take care of us."

Joey worked as a lumberjack and had ambitions for the future. On the Saturday before his tragic death, he shared his dreams with Steve, expressing a desire to open a bank account, work hard, and find a suitable partner.

Joey had a close bond with his younger brother. Steve reveals, "When Joey moved in with his ex-girlfriend, his brother cried a lot. But when he returned home, they were inseparable, sharing a room. Joey drowned before his brother's eyes, who came to alert us. He is traumatized by what happened, and I plan to take him to see a psychologist as soon as possible."

Tears fill the family home. "Even today, I find myself saying his name instead of my nephew's. His presence is everywhere in this house," Steve adds emotionally. "In front of his mother and the children, I try to stay strong to encourage them, even though I feel weak inside."

The family is outraged by how the tragedy was handled. Christelle Telcide, Joey's mother, tearfully recounts, "When we arrived at the pond after the drowning, three coastguard members came but said they were on land duty, not sea duty. We waited for about two hours for divers to retrieve him from the water."

The police spokesperson stated that all necessary actions were taken once the alert was raised, emphasizing, "We dispatched commandos who dove in to retrieve him. I empathize with the family's suffering," explained ASP Suhail Lidialam.