He was a loving son and brother, a loyal and kind friend, and a dedicated volunteer in Toronto’s east end, say those who knew and loved Mohammad Khasim.
The 14-year-old boy from Thorncliffe Park drowned in Lake Ontario near Ashbridges Bay earlier this week.
The teen had gone to the Woodbine Beach area with his best friend, Ammar Halai, on Sunday night and somehow got trapped.
Ammar told CP24.com that he and a man jumped into the icy water to try to rescue Mohammad, but despite their best efforts, both were unsuccessful.
His body was located around 9 a.m. the next day.
Mamdoh Khasim, the boy’s father, described him as someone who loved to laugh and smile. He said he will always be remembered as a wonderful, trustworthy son who deeply loved his parents and his three siblings. Mohammad was his second child and the eldest in the family.
Khasim said the support and love they have received from people in the neighborhood and beyond has helped strengthen their family during this incredibly painful time.
Mohammad Khasim, a 14-year-old boy from Thorncliffe Park, drowned in Lake Ontario near Ashbridges Bay on April 14. (Provided)
The grieving father was one of several people who paid tribute to Mohammad on Thursday night in a moving tribute at The Neighborhood Organization (TNO) Youth Center at East York Town Center.
“Mohammad basically changed my life. He gave me the confidence to defend myself,” the teenager’s best friend, Ammar, told CP24.com after the meeting.
“He wasn’t just a friend to me. Even though he was a few years younger than me, he was like an older brother to me and everyone he knew. “Everyone has a story about how Mohammad impacted his life.”
On Wednesday, at least 1,500 of the teenager’s friends, schoolmates, teachers and acquaintances packed the Islamic Society of Toronto mosque on Thorncliffe Park Drive for the Janazah (Muslim funeral) of Mohammad, who was affectionately nicknamed Hamudi by his peers.
Another 100 young people prayed together Thursday afternoon at the monument so that the teenager’s sins would be forgiven and his soul would be received by Allah in Jannah (heaven).
“When I heard about Mohammad’s death, I knew we had to do something. I knew there would be a lot of angst among local youth,” said Khimar Morgan, TNO leadership development program leader.
Morgan said he last saw the teen a week ago and added that he will always remember him for his smile that lit up the room and his great attitude.
The local youth worker said Mohammad had a “very bright future” and was planning to offer him a youth camp counselor position this summer, as he had done great work volunteering with the organization last year.
Noor Ijaz, a TNO youth ambassador who served as Mohammad’s supervisor when he helped at Camp “Robin,” said he was “much more than a volunteer.”
“(Hamudi) was someone who was always there to support people, no matter what they were going through in their own life,” he said.
“He was just a very genuine, kind soul. She was always happy and cared about others. “He was very dedicated and hard-working.”
Like many, Ijaz said she was devastated and shocked when she discovered Mohammad had drowned in Lake Ontario.
Mohammad Khasim, a 14-year-old boy from Thorncliffe Park, drowned in Lake Ontario near Ashbridges Bay on April 14. (Provided)
The late teenager was “admired by so many people”
The organization’s executive director, Ahmed Hussein, said the outpouring of love and support for Mohammad has been remarkable.
“I have never seen a young man who was admired by so many people,” he said, adding that since Mohammad’s passing many heartbroken and distraught young people from the community have gathered to share memories of their friend and comfort each other.
“In the 14 years he was present, he made a difference. … In the short period that he was alive, he left a mark on this world,” Hussein said, adding that TNO will do everything it can to support the community during this difficult time.
The Toronto District School Board shared news of the teen’s death with its school community in an April 16 letter. Mohammad was a ninth-grade student at Monarch Park Collegiate, near Coxwell and Hanson avenues.
“(He) will always be in our hearts and those of us who had the gift and blessing of knowing him will cherish the precious and cherished memories of the joy and happiness he brought to others,” wrote director Amalia Pallas.
“Mohammed’s teachers remember him as a charismatic and optimistic student who supported his classmates and was quick to laugh and smile. His cheerful and affable nature made him well-liked among his classmates, many of whom wanted to sit and spend time with him in class. He will be greatly missed by his friends and teachers.”
Some of Mohammad’s friends, with the blessing of his family, have begun raising funds in his name through the Muslim Hands Association to build a well in a developing nation.
“It’s a way to honor Hamudi and give back,” Ijaz said.