As the community mourns the tragic loss of 38-year-old former college football player and master athletic trainer Bryan Jeffrey Jackson, questions and inconsistencies surrounding his disappearance continue to haunt his loved ones. Jackson's body was discovered on the rocks of Promontory Point on Saturday, September 9th, after he went missing while boating on Lake Michigan on Tuesday, September 5th, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Jackson, a father of two kids, was an athletic trainer for reputed brands like Nike and Jordan. Reports indicate that he jumped off a 27-foot boat about a mile offshore from McCormick Place around 9 a.m. on September 5th and went swimming with a woman. Although the woman made it back, Jackson never resurfaced.
Family members and close friends have noted inconsistencies in the information they received about the accident, with some stating that they find it hard to believe Jackson would have willingly jumped into the water, as he had never done so before. "Bryan don't get in the water," claimed Jackson's cousin, Steve Taylor Jr., in an interview with CBS Chicago.
Jackson's ex-partner, Rev. Tanya Lozano Washington, who co-parents with him, has expressed similar concerns about the incident and has asked for a thorough investigation. She recounted the woman's statement that they both jumped in together but the current began to drag them apart. Washington, however, remains skeptical, asking for more complete answers and examination of the boat to piece together what really transpired that fateful day.
Meanwhile, Jackson's girlfriend, Sarah Virani, along with family and friends, have been working tirelessly to find the truth. "We all have the same objective of making sure we find Bryan safe and sound," Virani said. She remains confident in Jackson's strength and refuses to believe any narrative contrary to his character according to CBS Chicago.
