The search for a missing teacher from New Jersey ended on Tuesday, December 10, after recovery teams found his body in his vehicle, submerged in the Passaic River.

Brian Kolakowski, a 37-year-old physical education teacher at Washington Middle School and girls’ tennis coach at Harrison High School in Harrison, New Jersey, had been reported missing since December 4.

Security camera footage showed Kolakowski’s Volkswagen Jetta entering the Passaic River via a boat ramp at the Frank Vincent Marina in Kearny, New Jersey at 4:29 a.m. the day he was reported missing.

Recovery efforts were notably challenging as the vehicle drifted south from the marina, capsized, and sunk. Teams encountered poor weather and limited underwater visibility during the multi-day operation.

The Kearny Police Department, New Jersey confirmed there was no evidence of criminal activity or a threat to public safety related to the incident.

Nicknamed “Kola,” Kolakowski, who lived in North Arlington, New Jersey, had been teaching since 2010 and was recently honored as the North Jersey Inter Scholastic Conference Meadowlands Coach of the Year.

His coaching led the Harrison High School Girls Tennis Team to secure the NJIC Meadowlands League Championship this season.

Expressing their deep sorrow, the Superintendent of Harrison Public Schools, Maureen Kroog, and Personnel Director James Doran, who also serves as a Councilman for the Town of Harrison, issued a statement to the parents of students. They acknowledged Mr. Kolakowski for his unyielding dedication, kindness, and the positive impact he made on everyone in the Harrison School District. They stressed that his passing was a severe loss for the school district and the entire community.

In response to this tragic event, Harrison Public Schools made counseling services available for students and staff.