Drowning victim was a nurturing and protective man, mom says

Bridget Phillips said that when she last saw her son Javon Barber, he was excited for his weekend trip to Lake Afton.

The 22-year-old had just met a young lady that he liked, she said, and was looking forward to spending time with her and some friends.

“He came home Friday and he got a bag” to pack to go, she said. “He told his dad that he was going camping for the weekend and that he would be back.”

But Barber, a 2014 Southeast High School graduate and brother to seven, never made it home.

He drowned at around 9:20 p.m. on Saturday while taking a night-time swim with at least one other person, authorities say. The pair had been headed toward a buoy about 100 yards out in the lake but turned around before reaching it. Barber began struggling and went under the water on the way back to shore, authorities say.

Rescue crews found his body about 2 1/2 hours later in 7 to 8 feet of water perhaps 30 to 55 feet from the shoreline. Authorities released his identity on Monday morning.

Phillips said an uneasy feeling washed over her on Saturday after not hearing from Barber all day. Then she got a phone call with the tragic news.

On Monday as she mourned his death, Phillips remembered her son as a “very caring, very endearing, very nurturing and protective” man who enjoyed carrying out little acts of kindness.

It was common to see him taking time to listen to a friend who needed to talk and passing out water bottles he bought with spare grocery money to the homeless people he encountered on the street.

“He never met a stranger. He made friends with everybody,” Phillips said.

Sometimes she would call him “my little knight” because he always asked, “How was work, mom?” and would fix her a plate of food for dinner. He loved fishing, was a lifelong member of Greater Mizpah Baptist Church and played football and basketball during his childhood.

He dreamed of joining the Marines some day and was trying to get a construction job, his mother said.

“Javon is just – he’s like a jewel. You don’t come across kids like that,” Phillips said, voice wavering. “He will be missed.”

Funeral arrangements were still pending Monday. In the meantime, his family has set up a GoFundMe account to collect money for burial and other expenses. Donations are being accepted at www.gofundme.com/52gdfu-5000.

This story was originally published July 3, 2017 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Drowning victim was a nurturing and protective man, mom says."