Cambridge man drowns in New Hampshire lake, police say

Amin Taheri "wanted to be a blessing to everybody else."

Amin Taheri, 33, was swimming in Crystal Lake in Manchester on Friday evening when a witness noticed he disappeared.

Manchester police and fire, as well as the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office, responded to the scene.

Witnesses found Taheri, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, submerged, and life-saving measures were attempted, State Police said — however, he was ultimately pronounced dead at the Elliot Hospital. Police said Taheri’s death does not appear suspicious, but the investigation is ongoing.

As an immigrant from Iran, Taheri said in a 2020 article from his university that he wanted to make his “own way” in the United States.

Taheri started as a part-time UPS package handler and enrolled in a computer science master’s degree program at Oklahoma Christian University, according to the profile.

Two years later, Taheri started a new job at UPS — as a full-time web developer.

In addition to his coursework, Taheri navigated applying for asylum and work authorization requirements on top of two jobs.

“I can’t say enough about how amazing he was,” Greg Gillham, the university’s assistant director of graduate admissions for engineering and computer science students, told The Boston Globe. “I want to make sure he’s remembered and honored.”

Taheri’s former adviser, Curtis Coleman, told the Globe that Taheri “wanted to be a blessing to everybody else.”

“I have fond memories of him always wanting to help other people,” Coleman said. “He wanted the freedom to be the person that he wanted to be.”