TDSB identifies teen boy who died trying to rescue woman and her son at Woodbine Beach

A 16-year-old boy who died trying to save a mother and her son in the water at Woodbine Beach last week has been identified as a high school student from Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Toronto.

The Toronto District School Board said Kyle Howard–Muthulingam was pulled from the water by rescue crews and succumbed to his injuries in hospital last Friday.

Authorities were called to Woodbine Beach near Lake Shore Boulevard East and Woodbine Avenue just before 2:40 p.m. on Aug. 10.

Police said a woman and her son were swimming when they encountered trouble. Bystanders, including Howard–Muthulingam, jumped in to try to help.

While the mother and son were taken out of the water safely, two of the bystanders were injured.

The school board said Howard–Muthulingam had just completed Grade 11 and was a talented dancer and actor.

Friends said he was a very happy person who was always willing to help out.

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“He loved supporting people and what they did. He loved giving his opinions. So he was always there for you whether he knew you or not,” Grade 10 student Emma Keyes said.

“He was a very artistic person. He was very well-rounded. He was talented and all-around a very good person.”

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Officials said Wexford was open for students on Wednesday to pay tribute to the teen. Counselling services were also made available.

Several students also helped construct a memorial at Woodbine Beach in his honour.

“It’s just mostly pain … because we were all really, really close to him,” classmate Katie Hunt told Global News on Wednesday. “We all had such a great bond with him and we had so many promises and it just kind of hurts to know that he’s not going to be able to come back.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for the boy’s funeral service, which is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Chapel Ridge Funeral Home at 8911 Woodbine Avenue in Markham.

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— With files from Nick Westoll and Katherine Ward