9-Year-Old Who Drowned in Hersheypark Wave Pool Remembered at Funeral

Loved ones gathered to pay their final respects to Sophia Subedi, a 9-year-old girl who drowned at Hersheypark’s water park in Pennsylvania last week.

The Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg shared in a statement via Facebook that the ceremony was filled “with deep love and sorrow.”

“Your presence, prayers, and compassion brought comfort to the grieving family and strength to our community. At this time, the family asks for continued privacy as they grieve,” the statement said.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Patty Kim said in a statement on Facebook that the support from Sophia’s school and the Bhutanese community was “strong and beautiful.”

“I will continue to pray for comfort and healing for her family,” her statement added.

In addition to remembering Sophia on Facebook, Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas paid tribute to Sophia in a statement shared with PEOPLE, stating that he was “deeply moved” by the “hundreds of members of the Bhutanese community gather at the funeral service.”

“It was a powerful display of unity and shared grief as we came together to honor Sophia’s vibrant spirit,” he added. “Hearing people recount how Sophia was bubbly, kind, full of life, always greeting others with ‘Namaste’ and warm hugs—these heartfelt memories painted a vivid portrait of her gentle soul and left everyone in tears and awe.”

Douglas said that Sophia’s family “described the loss as an irreparable chasm in their hearts.”

“Our culture emphasizes collective support—witnessing this fabric of community manifest in real time was both tragic and profoundly beautiful. We feel a responsibility to carry her light forward through memorial initiatives, safety advocacy, and shared love for each other,” his statement continued.

The bright, young girl who aspired to be a teacher was in the wave pool at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark when she became “in distress” on Thursday, July 24. A park representative later confirmed that the incident occurred at the wave pool, where 10 dedicated lifeguards were present.

Lifeguards attempted to perform life-saving measures and immediately transported the child to the nearby Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. 

In a previous statement shared with PEOPLE, the Dauphin County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy showed that Sophia died as a result of accidental “fresh water drowning.”

“The decedent did not have a medical event that caused the drowning,” the coroner’s office added.

Subedi was known as a “really beautiful little girl… very respectful with her friends, elders, parents, and as a whole to the community,” Bhutanese Community of Harrisburg (BCH) Chairman Tilak Niroula told PEOPLE on Tuesday, July 29.

“When she sees new people walking in the walkway, she always wished to stop by, say hi, hello, good morning. So, she was really nice. She was very outspoken,” Niroula continued.

He went on to say that her parents and 5-year-old sister are “still trying to navigate through this difficult time” and are currently declining to speak with the media. A GoFundMe has also been created on behalf of her family.

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In his initial statement, John Lawn, CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resort, called the company’s commitment to safety “our highest priority.”

“To every family who visits Hersheypark, please know this: your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” his statement concluded. “We will thoroughly investigate this tragedy and honor the memory of this young guest by continuing our focus on ensuring the safety of our guests at Hersheypark.”

The Derry Township Police previously said authorities were still “working to gather all the facts” but their “thoughts and our hearts are with the family and friends of this young life, lost too soon.” A final “review of the incident” should be finalized by the end of the week.