RUPERT, Idaho — Marsh Valley High School’s football team is planning to attend a viewing this week to show their support for Marcos Gil, their teammate.

The 17-year-old boy drowned on Saturday while he was rescuing his girlfriend from the Portneuf River. Viewings are scheduled for Thursday and Friday and before the funeral service that will take place at noon on Saturday at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Rupert. Additional details have been posted at www.horsleyfuneralhome.com.

Doug Armstrong, head football coach at Marsh Valley High School, said Gil was part of the team last year and was looking forward to next season.

Although he wasn’t academically eligible to play in any games last year due to some issues with class credits, Gil still gave 110 percent, Armstrong said. He showed up to every practice, he always traveled with the team, and he willingly helped with the tasks that nobody else liked to do, like keeping the water bottles full.

A lot of kids would have given up if they hadn’t been able to play, but Gil didn’t let that deter him, Armstrong said. The gifted and athletic teen was devoted to his teammates.

“He did everything he could to help even though there was no reward,” Armstrong said.

That’s why Saturday was an especially difficult day for Armstrong, who also works for the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and was one of the responders at the scene of the drowning that occurred in the Portneuf River in Lava Hot Springs.

“It was a very difficult day to see a young man you care about lose his life,” Armstrong said. “But I also understand the bigger picture as to why he went into that water.”

From the practice field last season to the river on Saturday, Gil’s actions were always the same.

“He sacrificed himself so that everybody else could get better,” Armstrong said.

But it’s the teen’s life, rather than his death that Armstrong wants people to remember.

Related:

Teen who drowned saving girlfriend would 'do anything' for those he loved, family friend says

Athlete, friend, brother, son: 17-year-old Marco Gil is known as a lot of great things. Now, he’s known as one more.

“He was a joy to be around. I have never seen him without a smile on his face,” Armstrong said.

Others who knew Gil say the same things about him. He was always smiling, friendly and eager to serve.

And they aren’t surprised that he was willing to give his life to save another.

The teen has been called a hero by many, but especially the family of the 14-year-old girl he died rescuing.

Andrea Birdsall, the mother of the girl, called Gil a true hero, and she expressed her appreciation for his family.

“They raised an amazing and selfless young man and we will be forever grateful for them,” she said.

Gil jumped into the river to help his girlfriend after she became caught in a current and was struggling to keep her head out of the water on Saturday. In a statement submitted to the Journal, the girl said she was scared for her life.

“He was trying to swim to me but he was getting pushed under as well. I couldn’t see him the next couple of times but I felt him under me trying to push me up,” the girl said in the statement. “I was able to swim to the rocks. I looked back and I saw his head come up three more times ... and that was it. I started screaming his name trying to find him but he was no where to be seen.”

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The girl climbed the rocks to get to her phone and called 911, but there wasn’t enough time to get help for Gil.

Bannock County sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue personnel, as well as Bingham County sheriff’s dive team all responded to the scene. It took them about three hours to locate and remove Gil’s body from the river.

Following the tragic incident, donations have poured in to help Gil’s family cover his funeral expenses. As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 170 people had donated a combined $6,880 through a GoFundMe campaign* aiming to raise $15,000. A barbecue and baseball fundraiser* has also been planned at Arimo Park in Arimo at 5 p.m. May 11.

Birdsall said she is grateful to those who have donated to Gil’s family so far, and she hopes people will continue to do so.

“We want to thank everyone who has donated and encourage more people to donate so we can alleviate some of the financial stress of the funeral expenses of our hero,” she said.

For more information about the barbecue and baseball fundraiser*, people can contact Shane Call at 208-760-0726 or Kevin Nielsen at 208-251-1997.

Those who want to donate to the GoFundMe site* can do so at www.gofundme.com/dsj3ga-funeral-expenses?.

*Disclaimer: KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit or donation you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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