Massachusetts Police ended the search for two Jamaican brothers who went missing after jumping off the “Jaws Bridge” in Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday, August 14, both brothers were found days apart.
26-year-old Tavaris Bulgin’s body was discovered the day after the brothers jumped on Monday. For a few days, police looked for his 21-year-old brother’s body, Tavaughn Bulgin. Thursday, a fisherman found him near the Sengekontacket Pond, concluding the search.
The two were allegedly seasonal workers from Clarendon, Jamaica.
According to MassLive, the Bulgin brothers were at the bridge that Sunday night with two others to go for a swim at the bridge, which connected Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. The bridge is called the American Legion Memorial Bridge but gets the name “Jaws Bridge” because it’s known as the bridge in the Jaws movies. Despite signs that warn people not to jump, people still do.
When the boys jumped in, they didn’t resurface. The two swimmers they were with managed to get out safely, and state police searched around midnight after Edgartown police requested their assistance.
A GoFundMe was made to help the family with expenses like the funeral, travel, transport, and memorial to prevent stress on the family while they’re mourning. The goal was $50,000, and over $190,000 was received.
“Tavaris and Tavaughn left an impression on everyone they met,” the campaign said. “…their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith, and unrelenting positive attitude made them an absolute joy to be around.”
The Jamaican brothers studied business at UTech and the University of West Indies and were active in church thanks to their father, Rev. Keith Bulgin.
“It was deep gut bawling when the news came that the body had been found,” Bishop Rhoan Parkins said on behalf of the Bulgin family to The Jamaica Gleaner, who has known Keith for over 10 years.
A friend of the brothers, Marsha Green told NBC Boston that the news of their death didn’t seem real and that it caused the Bulgin brother’s parents to be hospitalized upon receiving it.
The brothers were at Martha’s Vineyard for a summer work program.
