18-05-2025
12-year-old boy who drowned in Monongahela River remembered for soft-spoken nature, polite personality
The 12-year-old boy who drowned in the Monongahela River in Donora on Saturday is being remembered for his soft-spoken nature and polite personality.
Rontae Lester was swimming with friends in the river on Saturday when his friends lost sight of him. His body was found in the river hours later after an extensive search.
In close-knit Donora, it was not hard to find someone who knew Rontae.
"I wanted to cry," said Dennis Hawkins Jr., whose son is a cousin of Rontae. "It's a tragedy for the whole community. I know the kids will probably be mourning the loss at school."
Hawkins' kids loved going over to Rontae's house, Hawkins said.
"He was probably one of the politest kids you would ever know," Hawkins said. "Soft-spoken, loved to play video games, cared for his younger siblings."
His son would even at times cut Rontae's hair.
"One thing that stood out for me, whenever he had long hair, he was like a Cherokee Indian, like his hair was freaking awesome," Hawkins said. "He was an awesome kid."
Hawkins recalled how he said that too many kids and adults have died in the river over the years. He suggested the city needs to find a way to monitor kids down by the river, perhaps with a security camera.
"Maybe, too, it'll open up eyes for parents to be more responsible and know where their children are, having a safe space versus just running around," Hawkins said.
He doesn't blame Rontae's family. Instead, he said, for generations, kids have played in the river unsupervised, including him as a kid, explaining it as a cultural issue.
"I would say everyone just wraps around the family," Hawkins said. "Hopefully, this tragedy doesn't happen again."
Rontae had a bright life ahead of him, Hawkins said. One where he could have changed the future of Donora for the better.
