The our bodies of Ahmed Haitham, 17, and Riley Cotter, 16, had been discovered within the water south of Nicolls Island Highway.
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Barrhaven’s John McCrae Secondary College could have a psychological well being workforce on web site when college students return within the new yr with out two of their much-loved classmates.
College students Ahmed Haitham, 17, and Riley Cotter, 16, drowned late Wednesday after falling by the ice on the Rideau River, close to Nicolls Island, north of Manotick.
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Haitham’s household mentioned they had been ice skating on the river.
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“That is very unhappy information for us all. This tragedy can be felt deeply by college students and workers in our neighborhood,” Diane Pernari, common supervisor of communications for the Ottawa-Carleton District College Board, mentioned Friday.
Pernari mentioned the board has reached out to the households of the scholars, and has supplied psychological well being help to college students and workers at John McCrae Secondary College.
“Our first precedence is to make sure that we’re supporting the households of the scholars and our faculty neighborhood in any approach that we are able to,” Pernari mentioned. College is to renew Jan. eighth.
Ottawa police divers recovered the our bodies of the 2 youngsters Thursday close to the shore of Nicolls Island. The 2 younger males had been lacking since Wednesday night when 4 youngsters fell by the ice whereas a few of them went skating.
Two members of the group, a 15-year-old feminine and a 17-year-old male, managed to scramble to shore and run to a close-by dwelling on Nicolls Island for assist. They had been taken to CHEO with delicate hypothermia.
A memorial is now posted on a fence outdoors Ahmed Haitham’s Barrhaven dwelling. “He was joyful, beneficiant, grateful and forgiving,” the tribute from his household reads. “He cherished animals and serving to others and chased his desires all the time with a smile.”
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Haitham arrived in Canada as a refugee from Iraq a few decade in the past. He was anticipated to graduate highschool early subsequent yr, and needed to turn into a police officer, in response to a GoFundMe web page set as much as assist the household with funeral prices.
A couple of dozen folks gathered across the memorial Thursday and Friday. The mourners poured cups of tea.
Barrhaven’s Tania Massé mentioned she has identified Ahmed from the time he was a younger boy since he was a long-time good friend of her son, Anthony. Massé mentioned Ahmed was an outgoing, humorous teenager, who cherished swimming, volleyball and bikes.
“Ahmed was all the time at our cottage and our home: He was like a member of our household,” Massé mentioned Friday. “He was very compassionate, all the time keen to assist out, all the time put his associates first.”
Anthony Philion, 17, mentioned he has identified Ahmed since they had been each in Grade 2. “We frolicked so much, performed video video games, paintballing, all types of various issues,” Philion mentioned. “He was somebody who all the time confirmed love, by no means hated.”
Riley Cotter was a part of the identical good friend group, he mentioned, and was obsessed with snowboarding and filth bikes. “He was all concerning the open air,” Philion mentioned. “He was a joyful man, the sort of man who cherished every part about waking up within the morning.”
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Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo mentioned he was deeply saddened by the lack of the 2 younger Barrhaven college students. “Our neighborhood is grieving with the households, associates, and neighbours of Ahmed Haitham and Riley Cotter. My heartfelt sympathies,” he mentioned Friday.
The our bodies of the 2 younger males had been discovered within the water south of Nicolls Island Highway, on the south aspect of the Lengthy Island Stone Arch Dam.
Ottawa police mentioned they had been known as to the scene at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday following a report about 4 younger folks falling by the ice. The police marine unit, aided by Ottawa firefighters, carried out a floor and water search.
• With recordsdata from Marlo Glass
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