Carol Merworth believes her grandson had a premonition that he would die.
Over the last few months, Joshua Merworth had been writing poetry about death. In the last week, he was surprising his family members with spontaneous hugs and signs of affection. "He was really sweet," Carol Merworth said.
And about two weeks before his graduation from Granite High School, Joshua Merworth drowned in Utah Lake. His body was recovered from near the bottom of the lake about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Carol Merworth said.
He turned 18 on May 1.
On Saturday, the young man, his 16-year-old brother and his stepfather went tubing on the lake. A storm rolled over the lake and wind kicked up high waves. "He got worried. That's why he jumped out of the boat," Carol Merworth said.
Joshua began swimming toward the shore. His brother jumped in after him.
About 20 feet from the innertube-boat, Joshua told his brother "he was too cold and he just couldn't go anymore," Carol Merworth said.
After he went under, the Utah County Sheriff's Office sent a search and rescue crew on the lake. They searched until dark Saturday. At 7 a.m. Sunday, crews were on the lake again, with 10 boats, SONAR and global-positioning devises, Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Harris said.
Joshua, who lived most of his life in Utah, played baseball for Granite High School, said Carol Merworth, who helped raise him. She said "he was a good kid, helped anybody who needed him."
He was excited to graduate from high school and planned to train to become a meat-cutter, she said.
The Merworth family is worried about paying for the funeral. They are devastated by the loss, Carol Merworth said.
"It's going to take some time."
E-MAIL: lhancock@desnews.com