Memorial service held on anniversary of Lorain drowning

As balloons swayed in the breeze, friends and community members gathered at Lorain's Lakeview Park on Wednesday to honor the memory of Ayesha Kadi on the one-year anniversary of the 20-year-old's drowning in Lake Erie. Kadi was in the process of transitioning from female to male and preferred to go by the nickname "Juice," said Mary Smink Worthy, an organizer of Wednesday's memorial. Smink Worthy noted that dying at only 20 years old is a painful reality, and is the reason she has worked hard to keep her friend's memory alive. Over the past year, even in grief, Smink Worthy has focused on efforts to teach people how to swim. "I know that (Juice) would be happy," Smink Worthy said, adding that her friend "is looking down and is grateful that I still have her name out there." Following the incident, Smink Worthy made T-shirts in honor of Juice. In April, a fundraiser was held at Lorain's Mild 2 Wild salon, which helped support Wednesday's memorial. James Mannion, aquatic director for the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, said Smink Worthy's fundraising efforts led to six individuals being taught to swim. "It's important because we live right next to a Great Lake," Mannion said. Mannion noted the dangers posed by Lake Erie, such as rip currents. "It's a passion of mine to teach people how to swim," Mannion said. "And when (Smink Worthy) reached out to me, I was more than willing to try to help." Smink Worthy said that the effort to help more people — as well as to keep her friend's memory alive — will not cease. "Eventually, I hope to, like I said, have a nonprofit and be able to teach people all around America how to swim," Smink Worthy said. "Because it's something that takes people's lives all the time." Contact Garrett Looker at glooker@chroniclet.com.