A devastating tragedy has struck a well-known political family in Buffalo, New York, where 21-year-old Kenyah S. Potter, son of former United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate Gladys Potter and her husband Mark Potter, has died following a reported drowning incident at Buffalo Harbor State Park.
Kenyah, an Antiguan national who was pursuing his studies and residing in West Seneca near Buffalo, went missing after he entered the outer harbor waters of the park just before midnight on a Saturday. The young man had only celebrated his milestone 21st birthday less than two weeks before the fatal incident, adding an extra layer of heartbreak to his family’s loss.
Immediately after reports of Kenyah’s disappearance, local emergency response teams launched a large-scale, multi-agency search operation. The collaborative effort included personnel from the Buffalo Fire Department, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo Police Marine Unit, and the department’s specialized Underwater Recovery Team, all working through the night to locate the missing student.
Rescue teams recovered Kenyah’s body just after midnight, only a few hours after he first went missing. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office was called to the scene to process the incident, and authorities have confirmed that an official autopsy will be conducted to formally confirm the cause of death and clarify the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The United Progressive Party has publicly shared its grief with the Potter family in an official statement released following the recovery of Kenyah’s body. Party leadership, the Central Executive committee, and all rank-and-file members of the UPP said they were standing with the Potters in mourning. “We watched [Kenyah] grow from boy to young man,” the statement read, adding, “We extend sincere condolences and sympathy at this difficult time, as you all remain in our thoughts and prayers.”