Lorain woman raises funds for swim lessons in friend's honor

CLEVELAND — The life of a Lorain resident lost at Lakeview Park beach will be memorialized in swim lessons for children and adults. Mary Smink Worthy, of Lorain, raised funds to pay for swimming lessons at the West Park YMCA in memory of her friend, who drowned at Lakeview Park beach in June. Lorain police department's underwater recovery team, Lorain firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard located a swimmer's body about 12 to 15 feet under the water just west of the beach's center break wall on June 24. Police identified the deceased as Ayesha Kadi, 20, of Lorain, who had been reportedly jumping off a break wall at Lakeview Beach and into the water that morning. Kadi was in the process of transitioning from female to male and preferred to go by the name Jordan, or the nickname "Juice," coined for their love of apple juice, friends said during a vigil at the beach after Kadi's death. With the permission from Kadi's sister, Zahra, Smink Worthy began selling T-shirts in her friend's honor. The black shirts with red lettering were an homage to the 20-year-old's plans to move to New York City to start a streetwear brand before their death. Smink Worthy's sale of the shirts, alongside a $500 donation from APG&E Cares — the charitable wing of electric supplier APG&E — will cover the cost of six people to take swim lessons at the west side YMCA. In a news release announcing the donation, APG&E Chief Marketing Officer James Smith noted drowning accidents remain far too common and preventable. "Swimming is more than a summer pastime; it is a life-saving skill," Smith said. "Through this sponsorship, we hope to not only honor (Kadi's) memory, but also help prevent future tragedies by empowering children and adults with critical water safety knowledge." Smink Worthy chose the West Park YMCA because Kadi is buried at the nearby West Park Cemetery. She said she hoped the swimming lessons would save lives and was grateful that individuals and the electric supplier stepped up to fund the classes in Kadi's honor. Jim Mannion, aquatic director at the West Park YMCA, accepted Smink Worthy's donation on Thursday. A North Ridgeville resident, he said he was not aware of Kadi's death until Smink Worthy contacted him about her campaign to raise funds in her friend's honor. The YMCA will use the funds for anyone with a financial need when signing up for its eight-week swim lessons, he said and was grateful for Smink Worthy's support of the program. For Smink Worthy, knowing that children and adults alike may benefit from the lessons helped her in her grief, she said. "No matter what we cannot bring (Juice) back, but we can turn this tragedy into something positive for others," Smink Worthy said. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.