BUFFALO, N.Y. — Mario Guthrie and his friend Scott Vater drowned in the Niagara River last Monday.

Since then, cell phone video of the drowning deaths surfaced on Facebook and YouTube.

“This is not entertainment, this is real life,” said Mario’s mother, Kimberly Guthrie.

The video has had thousands of views and shares since it hit the internet. 

“This ugly video went around — respect for the family at all, “ said Guthrie. “Because of them people with their video cameras, video taping it could've done something to help."

Saturday Mario Guthrie, an army veteran, was laid to rest with military honors. He is survived by his wife and three young children. His mother says her son’s final moments fighting for his life should not be the last image of her son. 

“I just hope that they have the sense of enough to take it down,” Guthrie said.