NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – The sister and friend of Ryan Ford, the man whose body was found in a river in New Bern, are sharing more about the impact he had on the community.
Police were called behind Sky Sail Boulevard around 1:25 p.m. Sunday for a body found in the Trent River. Officials say a person on scene pulled the body, identified as Ford, from the water before police arrived.
Joseph Richter has known Ford for a few years and says he had a bad feeling when the initial news came out that a body was pulled from the water.
“You get a pit in your stomach anytime you hear that, and when it did come out on Monday, that it was someone in their young 50s, I just kinda knew,” Richter said.
Police released more details to WITN on the investigation based on preliminary findings and an autopsy that was completed.
“The cause of death was drowning. There was no indication of violence or struggle due to the lack of injuries on the body,” said Sgt. Jonathan Sanderlin of the New Bern Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit.
Sgt. Sanderlin says that at the time, Ford was staying with a friend on their boat at the New Bern Grand Marina, where the drowning happened.
Richter says Ford used to live on his boat at the marina and was a man who loved many and was loved by all.
“He loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved his community, he was a community member who frequented downtown, he loved his dog Paloma,” Richter said. “Ryan had one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever met. He is someone who will never be forgotten, and he will always be remembered.”
Ford’s sister, Jenna Ford Yund, said her brother, who grew up in rural Colorado on a potato farm, had a lifelong love of boats and the water.
“He was a beloved brother, son, and friend to many,” she said. “He was a kind-hearted man who was loved by many and who will be dearly missed.”
Police say the investigation continues as they await the full autopsy.
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