Men who jumped off Martha's Vineyard Jaws bridge identified
The two men who went missing after jumping off a well-known Martha’s Vineyard bridge featured in the horror classic “Jaws” have been identified as two brothers from Jamaica working seasonal jobs in the area.
One of the siblings, 26-year-old Tavaris Bulgin, was found dead early Monday, the Cape and Islands district attorney said.
The search for the victim’s 21-year-old brother, Tavaughn Bulgin, was suspended Tuesday afternoon because of dangerous weather conditions, officials said. He had not been located as of Wednesday.
The Bulgin siblings — the sons of a pastor from Jamaica — were among four people who leaped from the so-called Jaws Bridge into 15 feet of water on Sunday night, the prosecutor’s office said.
Two of the jumpers made it out of the water safely, but the Bulgins began to struggle in the strong current and were unable to reach the shore.
The US Coast Guard, state and local police responded and began scouring the water for the missing duo.
Around 6:30 a.m. Monday, Tavaris’ body was recovered.
Authorities returned to the scene Tuesday armed with a side-scan sonar device to search for Tavaughn, who was missing and presumed dead.
After halting the search around 3 p.m., state police said they would assess weather conditions daily to determine when it’s safe enough for divers to get back in the water.
The Bulgins were seasonal workers at Nomans Restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard. Their father, the Rev. Keith Bulgin, is a pastor at a church in the family’s hometown of Clarendon, Jamaica, where a vigil was held in their honor on Monday, reported the Jamaica Gleaner.
A GoFundMe campaign that was launched to help the Bulgin family transport the brothers’ bodies home for burial and cover their funeral expenses described the pair in glowing terms.
“Tavaris and Tavaughn left an impression on everyone they met — at 26 and 21 years old, their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith and unrelenting positive attitude made them an absolute joy to be around,” organizer Doug Abdelnour wrote on the fundraiser’s page.
Tavaris had recently graduated from the University of Technology in Jamaica, and Tavaughn was studying business at the University of West Indies.
Both men played music and were active in their father’s ministry in Clarendon.
“Tavaris was well known as a beloved school teacher, and Tavaughn was known to be a musical prodigy and gifted soccer/football player,” Abdelnour stated. “Both boys were destined to make an impact in every community they served and every endeavor they pursued.”
George Omar, a family friend who was the best man at Rev. Bulgin’s wedding years earlier, wrote on Facebook that Tavaris and Tavaugh were like his “blood sons.”
“I loved them so much,” he wrote. “I know them from birth. They are good, godly, smart, jovial, crazy, full of life and talented individuals.”
Omar revealed that the siblings had visited him at his home in Connecticut just a few weeks ago and cooked for him.
“I was the one that drove them to Martha’s Vineyard,” he stated. “They both called me for my birthday about 4 days ago… They promised to have a celebration for me when they come back in a few weeks.”
The brothers are survived by their parents, Rev. Bulgin and his wife, Jackie, and their two sisters, Tavanny and Tavania.
The bridge that links the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is officially the American Legion Memorial Bridge, but it’s commonly known as Jaws Bridge. In the summer months, people line up to jump from the span — even though there are signs nearby warning the public that such activity is prohibited.
