The teenage boy who was rescued Thursday from Great Pond in Rome and rushed to a hospital in critical condition has died.

The boy, identified by The Associated Press as Jeffrey Pepin, 16, of Chesterville, died Thursday night in the hospital, according to Sgt. Bruce Loring, of the Maine Warden Service. Loring said the warden service was notified on Friday about the death.

Pepin would have been entering his senior year at Mount Blue High School in the fall, according to AP.

Officials said he was swimming with two friends Thursday at Great Pond in Rome and went under as they were trying to swim from a boat back to Crooked Island.

Fire officials say it took 15 to 20 minutes for his friends to find and get him out of the water. A nearby off-duty nurse performed CPR and he was taken to MaineGeneral Hospital in Augusta.

A GoFundMe page has been set up online to help the family with expenses. The page, Jeffrey Pepin Fund, says, “He was a intelligent, bright, talented, caring young man that touched many people’s hearts. There are not enough words to describe what an amazing young man Jeffery was. In these hard times of need we would (appreciate) any help for the family so Jeffery can get the services he deserves.”

“He was a great kid,” said Kelsey Lemieux, of Lewiston, who was a friend of Pepin’s. “We met while he was attending Lewiston High School last year.”

“He was a sophomore. We quickly became friends and hung out a few times,” said Lemieux, a 2015 Lewiston High graduate who attended classes at the Lewiston Regional Technical Center. “He kind of embraced me as family really quickly, as well as his father. I remember one time we were supposed to hang out, and he had to bail. He felt so bad he walked me home in the pouring rain after school to make up for it.”

“He was a great kid, and friend. He was dedicated to his family and his future. We lost touch when he moved, but there’s no doubt if I’d needed him, he’d have taken every option possible to get to me,” Lemieux said.

“It’s sad to see another life taken too soon. My condolences to the family, and other friends. He deserved better,” Lemieux said.

The warden service is investigating the incident.