Overview:
Fritznerson Vil, a beloved football coach, and Angelica Pierre, a local student, were enjoying the Jassa River in Acul-des-Pins near Ouanaminthe when a flash flood swept them away.
OUANAMINTHE, Haiti — Under a cloudy, drizzling sky heralding more rainfall one afternoon last month, a young couple was spending time together in between two boulders planted deep in the Jassa River, a crisp waterway that flows through several towns in Haiti’s northeast. But within moments, the calm afternoon turned deadly when a sudden flash flood swept away Fritzson Vil and Angelica Pierre, drowning both.
“The rain was falling steadily in various municipalities in the North-East department, causing water overflows and flooding,” Thelusmond Jean Baptiste, a member of the Maribaroux Casec, a local communal section, explains.
“Despite the natural warning and the pleas of local residents, the two young people stayed in the water,” he lamented.
With its abundant waterfalls, basins and streams, the Jassa River is home to the popular Saut d’Eau in Acul-des-Pins. Locals flock to it often for a refreshing dip and certain portions that provide seclusion also draw romancing pairs.
He wasn’t just a friend, he was a brother the way he protected me when I faced great difficulties.”
Chedely Elie, local soccer player
Fondness for the river makes the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 13, that much more etched in the collective memory of the surrounding communities.
Vil, who had just celebrated his 25th birthday, and Pierre, 21, were two pillars of their families, according to mourners. Their passing also points to both the risks for individuals who ignore certain storm conditions and the inadequacy of Haiti’s government to curb deaths even when they know the rains will come down—and the rivers will rise.
Visitors enjoying Saut D’Eau Acul des Pins waterfall on July 23, 2024. Photo by Edxon Francisque
Dreams gone in a flash
Vil, a Cité Planto resident, was the son of Sumena “Mena” Baptiste, a seamstress, and Gesnet Vil, a truck driver. Family and friends say the coach was a friend to many, filled with wisdom, humor and cool-headedness that made him a reassuring, joyful presence to be around.
“He was loved by the whole neighborhood,” said Judelyn Pierre, a neighbor, summing up the general feeling of the townspeople.
“He was a good man who never had any problems with anyone in the neighborhood, always there to make us laugh with his jokes.”
One of Vil’s passions, and greatest contributions to his community, was coaching the Ouanaminthe Naval American football club. This youth team was a rallying point for youngsters in working-class Cité Planto, an opportunity for them to thrive and dream while learning the sport. The nature of the team gave Vil a paternal, big brother role in the community.
The sadness and devastation following his death were particularly palpable within the team.
Chedely Elie, one of the defenders, expresses his grief poignantly.
“His death saddens me greatly, I don’t feel able to talk about him,” Chedely said. “He was not just a friend, he was a brother, the way he protected me when I faced great difficulties.”
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Coach Fritznerson Vil during his funeral on Friday, October 17, 2025, in Ouanaminthe. Photo of FC Naval American
Employed by Codevi, an industrial subcontractor based on the Ouanaminthe-Dajabon border, Vil was also looking for a better financial situation for his family. Just one week prior to the tragedy, he spoke with his sister about enrolling in a mechanic trade program in Cap-Haïtien at the end of the year.
Baptiste, 52, said her son’s loss is twofold — that of a loving son and that of an essential financial support.
“He always handed something to me every time he was paid at his job, he was very good to me,” she said. “I still believe he will come home because he always does.”
The funeral service held Oct. 17 brought intense reactions marked by religious songs, prayers, poignant testimonies and deep contemplation.
Among the mourners, Vil’s girlfriend Louis Dacheca Desamour also expressed her grief despite the circumstances.
“I will never forget Fritzson because I loved him very much,” she said.
A disbelieving end for a sister, student and mentor
Pierre, in her own right, was also a rising star that the flash flood extinguished. The daughter of Delima Pierre, a truck driver, Pierre grew up surrounded by her brothers and sisters – Andy, Rose Nadette, Wideline, Devecaly and Witherline – after her mother passed away. The first-year accounting student at the Université Publique de Fort-Liberté.
Angelica Pierre/Facebook
Her younger sister describes her as a positive and encouraging person.
“She was a mentor to me,” Witherline Pierre said. “She was always there to make me smile.”
At first, her tragic death caused much confusion for the family. They believed she had stayed overnight at an aunt’s house due to the bad weather and that her phone was dead. Two days after the flash fooled, they learned of the devastating news when people posted images on social media of a body found near the river on Oct. 15.
“We thought that it was to get views that people had posted the photos, especially in the comments that said that did not look like our sister,” Witherline Pierre recalled.
On the same day, the family confirmed it was the young woman. In deep sadness and desolation, they proceeded with her burial at the Dilaire Carrefour Le Mercier Cemetery.
When tranquility turns
After laying the pair to rest, locals and officials reflected on the tragedy as a sad reminder of the dangers of Haiti’s rivers during the rainy season. Some said that if Haiti had stronger government-mandated storm education and warning systems in place, people in towns at the highest risk for flooding would learn to make safer choices during hazardous scenarios.
Heavy rains continue across Haiti as residents plead for support following the storm’s destruction, which left 24 dead, 18 missing, and hundreds displaced
In the case of the Jassa River, the drizzling rain on the afternoon of Oct. 13 was part of the storm system that would later become Hurricane Melissa. A storm that killed at least 67 people, 34 in Haiti and another 33 in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
While the beautiful river’s features are an enjoyable part of community life, perhaps if the townspeople had signage and information posted, they would know better when to avoid hazardous outings to the waterway.
Jean-Baptiste, the local Casec member, told The Haitian Times that several bathers who were at the waterfall told him they heard several ‘cris de joie,’ French for cries of ecstasy, emanating from the boulders.
Even as the waters started swelling around 3 p.m., the pair remained in a romantic clinch.
‘They didn’t listen,’ the locals told Jean-Baptiste. ‘They were embracing and wanted to stay a little bit longer.’
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