A New Britain family wants to honor nine-year-old Joseph Malcolm Jr. with a buddy bench that would be placed near the pond where he died, writes Briana Smith for 6abc.

Everybody close to him, especially his three brothers and one sister, said they will miss his bright smile that would light up every room.

Joseph died while he was fishing in a pond not far from his home on Monday. According to the Bucks County Coroner, it was an accidental drowning.

“Unfortunately, underneath the pond it’s murk,” said his grandmother Cindy Berkelback. “It’s muddy. If will grab your feet, that’s what a fireman explained to us the following day.”

The family is hoping to keep his spirit alive by building a buddy bench near the place where he died. They also hope that warning signs will be added around the pond.

“Buddy system dedication where maybe parents can talk with their children to say, ‘never go fishing or bike riding or walking far away from home without a buddy’ because children need somebody else,” said his grandmother.

Read more about Joseph Malcolm Jr. at 6abc.

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