Loved ones pay tribute to 22-year-old Chadwer ‘Chaddy’ Leah found dead in Melbourne’s Yarra River

Friends of a Clyde North man whose body was pulled from the Yarra River have told of the “massive hole” left in their community, remembering him as a “gentle and cheerful soul”.

The body of 22-year-old Chadwer "Chaddy" Leah was pulled from the Yarra River on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied

A young man who vanished from a nightclub in Melbourne’s CBD before his body was pulled from the Yarra River has been remembered as a “gentle and cheerful soul”.

Loved ones of 22-year-old Chadwer Leah, known as “Chaddy”, launched a desperate search for him earlier this week after he became separated from his friends outside a venue over the weekend.

It is understood that Mr Leah, from Clyde North in Melbourne’s southeast, had driven into the city on either Saturday or Sunday night before entering a club with the group.

He later disappeared from outside the venue, where he was earlier seen behaving in a manner that was “quite out of character”.

Mr Leah had not moved his car from where he had parked it earlier in the evening and it is believed he was last seen alive near Bourke St.

Friends have described Chaddy as an extremely sweet and cheerful soul. Picture: Supplied

Police say he went into the river near Banana Alley off Flinders St at about 3am on Monday, before emergency crews pulled him from the water on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mr Leah’s friends said they were rocked by the “bubbly and outgoing” man’s death following his unusual disappearance.

“Chaddy was an extremely sweet, gentle and cheerful soul, he never had a bad thing to say about anyone,” friend Teasha Ah-Young said.

The pair attended Mordialloc College together, where Ms Ah-Young said he had many friends that he had kept in touch with since leaving school.

“He brought joy and laughter to everyone around him, and his death has left a massive hole in our community,” Ms Ah-Young said.

“He will be sorely missed, but his memory will always live on.”

He was seen behaving in a manner that was “quite out of character” before his disappearance.

Mr Leah is understood to be the eldest of eight siblings and played a crucial role in helping raise his younger brothers and sisters.

Sequoia-Skye Farris-White, a long-time friend of Mr Leah’s, told the Herald Sun Mr Leah had been her first friend in Melbourne when she moved to Mordialloc from Western Australia about a decade ago.

“He was known for his smile, he was always laughing,” Ms Farris-White said.

“If you were having a bad day, you can never have a bad day around him. He cheered everyone up.

“I don’t think anyone would have ever seen him upset or angry, or anything like that.”

Ms Farris-White said she fondly remembered playing basketball with Mr Leah at school.

“He was probably one of the only boys who would come play basketball with me at recess and lunch.”

An online fundraiser for Mr Leah has raised more than $20,000 in just over a day.

His loved ones scoured businesses in the CBD, searching for information on his whereabouts and CCTV, while sharing calls for help on social media after they failed to get in contact with him.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Leah’s death and his cause of death is not yet known.

The Missing Persons squad had been called in to investigate his disappearance before his body was found.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Loved ones pay tribute to 22-year-old Chadwer ‘Chaddy’ Leah found dead in Melbourne’s Yarra River