The family a 14-year-old who drowned Tuesday at Atwater Beach in Shorewood says the teen was quiet but excelled in school.
Sareyi Ahmed jumped into Lake Michigan while swimming with friends and never resurfaced. Crews from North Shore and Milwaukee Fire Departments and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for the teen before was found underwater. Efforts to revive him weren’t successful.
Ahmed’s father Mohamed Adan said “he’s a good kid, I love him, I miss him right now.” Hi Sunday school teacher and family member Abdi Shakur says Ahmed was a good student.
“Any subjects that I give him he was a good student. In his faith too. He’s so strong a kid but he’s shy” Shakur said.
Family from as far away as Seattle had gathered at the family’s Milwaukee home. In accordance with Muslim tradition Ahmed will be buried within the next few days.
There were no lifeguards on duty when Ahmed went under the water. The Village of Shorewood says it contracts with Milwaukee County for lifeguard service, but this year there weren’t enough lifeguards.
The county says there is a nationwide shortage of lifeguards trained for open waters, which is different than those trained for swimming pools. Shorewood Village manager Larry Arft calls the situation tragic and says the village plans for lifeguards to be present in 2018 adding “this is not a financial issue.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.
