A funeral is being held today for Omer Buz, the 14-year-old boy who drowned in Lake Erie after a family beach outing with his family in Port Stanley.
Buz was at the beach with his dad and brother on Sunday when the waves got rough and they were pulled under the water. Lifeguards pulled dad Lami Buz and his son, Mohammad, 17, but were unable to rescue Omer. The boy’s body was recovered on Tuesday after an extensive search.
The funeral Wednesday is at the London Muslim Mosque, with the burial at the Islamic Cemetery.
The Buz family had recently come to London from Turkey, where they lived after leaving Syria during that country’s civil war. Omer, also spelled Omar, recently graduated from Emily Carr Public School in London’s northwest.
“He loved his time on the soccer field and was excited to learn new sports during gym class and break times,” school officials wrote to the school community this week.
“His dedication to learning English and connecting with his classmates was evident. Over the seven months he spent with us, Omar became an integral part of the Emily Carr community.”
An online fundraiser for the family has raised more than $30,500.
