Human Interest 2 Boys Drowned When 17-Year-Old Tried to Save His Brother, 6, from Flooded Canal After Hurricane Ian Tahjir Burrowes, 6, and his 17-year-old brother, Tahjon, were both found dead in a Florida canal on Oct. 5 following the powerful storm By Jason Hahn Jason Hahn Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 13, 2022 02:40 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: GoFundMe (2) When his little brother wandered out of their family's Florida home following Hurricane Ian, Tahjon Burrowes, 17, raced to find him. But within hours, both Tahjon and his 6-year-old brother, Tahjir, were found dead in a nearby canal filled with floodwater from the storm. "I don't know if one could be without the other," their mother, Lachera Burrowes, told NBC News. "[Tahjon] could not stand there and not jump in." Lachera told the outlet that Tahjir had a severe form of autism and was drawn to water. Hurricane Ian's powerful winds knocked down a fence around their home, allowing young Tahjir to wander off while Lachera and Tahjon were not looking. When Tahjon discovered that his brother had slipped away, he told his mother before chasing after him. Lachera drove her car to the canal to help look for her son before calling their local police for help. "I saw nothing," Lachera told NBC News of arriving at the swollen canal. "Quiet." Boy, 3, Visiting Family for Easter Dies in Accidental Drowning: 'Extremely Saddened by This Tragic Event' Later that day, authorities told Lachera both boys had drowned in the canal. AP/Shutterstock PEOPLE reached out to the Lee County Sheriff's Office for more information on Thursday. A GoFundMe campaign was created to help Lachera raise money for her sons' funerals, scheduled to take place on Oct. 26. "I feel sorrow for what she has to endure :( May God bless you auntie," supporter Paliyah Cameron wrote on the page. Missouri Teen Dies After Saving 4-Year-Old Brother from Drowning: 'My Son Is a Hero,' Dad Says The campaign has raised nearly $14,000 as of Thursday afternoon. According to the Herald-Tribune, officials say more than 100 people died in Florida as a result of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 storm. RELATED VIDEO: Toddler Twins Drown in Backyard Pool at Daycare with History of Complaints The hurricane was Florida's deadliest since 1935, reports The New York Times, which states at least 54 people died by drowning.