Sean Casey was a great guy, a rugged and athletic baseball star who was just starting to pass his knowledge of the game on to younger players, said friends of the 21-year-old Cape Elizabeth man whose body was pulled early Tuesday afternoon from Sebago Lake.
“He was a great kid, a great friend. Always a great student. He didn’t deserve this,” said a young man who would only identify himself as Tom. He said he was one of Casey’s best friends, and was swimming with him late Monday afternoon in an area north of White’s Bridge. Casey failed to surface, setting off the search, which ended around 1 p.m. Tuesday when his body was found in around 50 feet of water.
As search boats came to and from the docks around Richardson’s Marina off White’s Bridge Road, dropping off and picking up divers and other search party members, including a K-9 unit, Tom and other friends of Casey’s stood vigil near the water.
“We were there when he went in, and I want to be here when he comes out,” said Tom.
The search began just after 4 p.m. Monday when one of Casey’s friends made an emergency phone call. Casey and his friends had stopped their boat in the water and were swimming around when something went wrong.
Tom and another friend, who did not give his name, said Casey was swimming when he threw up his arms and went under the water. The other swimmers thought Casey was kidding around, Tom said, but became worried when Casey did not surface after 20 seconds.
“Something must have happened,” said Tom, shaking his head. “He didn’t say a word. It was just a freak accident.”
The swimmers went under to try to find Casey, but couldn’t see him in the murky water.
“The visibility was awful,” Tom said.
Casey, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was a good swimmer, friends said.
“He was an awesome swimmer,” said Tom. “His dad was a lifeguard at Scarborough Beach, and he grew up there.”
Casey, who attended Cape Elizabeth schools before graduating from Portland High School in 2006, had attended Southern Maine Community College, where he played on the baseball team. According to his friends, he planned on coaching middle school-aged players during the coming year.
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