Rideau River drowning deaths ‘deeply felt’ at John McCrae Secondary College

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Barrhaven’s John McCrae Secondary College can have a psychological well being crew on website when college students return within the new 12 months with out two of their much-loved classmates.

College students Ahmed Haitham, 17, and Riley Cotter, 16, drowned late Wednesday after falling by means of 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 will probably be felt deeply by college students and employees in our neighborhood,” Diane Pernari, normal 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 employees 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 manner that we will,” 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 means of 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 residence on Nicolls Island for assist. They had been taken to CHEO with gentle hypothermia.

A memorial is now posted on a fence exterior Ahmed Haitham’s Barrhaven residence. “He was joyful, beneficiant, grateful and forgiving,” the tribute from his household reads. “He cherished animals and serving to others and chased his goals at all times with a smile.”

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Haitham arrived in Canada as a refugee from Iraq a couple of decade in the past. He was anticipated to graduate highschool early subsequent 12 months, and needed to develop 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 individuals 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 pal of her son, Anthony. Massé mentioned Ahmed was an outgoing, humorous teenager, who cherished swimming, volleyball and bikes.

“Ahmed was at all times at our cottage and our home: He was like a member of our household,” Massé mentioned Friday. “He was very compassionate, at all times prepared to assist out, at all times put his buddies first.”

Anthony Philion, 17, mentioned he has identified Ahmed since they had been each in Grade 2. “We frolicked rather a lot, performed video video games, paintballing, all types of various issues,” Philion mentioned. “He was somebody who at all times confirmed love, by no means hated.”

Riley Cotter was a part of the identical pal group, he mentioned, and was keen about snowboarding and filth bikes. “He was all in regards to the outside,” Philion mentioned. “He was a joyful man, the form of man who cherished all the things 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, buddies, 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 Street, 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 individuals falling by means of the ice. The police marine unit, aided by Ottawa firefighters, performed a floor and water search.

• With recordsdata from Marlo Glass

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