Jeremey Paulson, dancer and community advocate, dies while swimming in swollen St. Croix River

HASTINGS, Minn. — Life is hard to navigate right now for those who love Jeremey Paulson , who recently died while swimming in the swollen and fast-moving St. Croix River in Afton State Park.

"Jeremey was a beautiful soul taken from us too soon," said sister Andrea Kirk.

Nur Adem plans to remember his friend and business partner by how he lived.

"He did fight for his life to the last breath, unfortunately, could not get back," Adem said. "Jeremey had so much planned for his life."

Paulson was a man with many talents. The community advocate who fought for healing in BIPOC communities also expressed himself through dance, while simultaneously working to become a yoga instructor

"Dance is one the biggest ways he's connected with people," Kirk said. "I think that's how he showed love."

His friends and family are hopeful that this tragedy will bring about change.

"I would encourage more of a safety measure to be taken in the future if levels are dangerously high like that, there should be some form of a stop," Nur said.

The family has created a fundraiser to help with funeral arrangements.