Family of teen who drowned in Lady Bird Lake remember their loved one

Family remembers teen who drowned in Lady Bird Lake

The family of 17-year-old Irewamiri Shote, who drowned in Lady Bird Lake, is remembering their loved one.

AUSTIN, Texas - The family of a 17-year-old who drowned in Lady Bird Lake is remembering their loved one.

Austin police began looking for Irewamiri Shote on the evening of Sunday, June 1, but couldn’t find him. On Tuesday, June 3, he was found.

"Another paddleboarder was here out on Lady Bird Lake and notified us that it appeared that an individual was deceased and floating on Lady Bird Lake," Austin Police Department Corporal Jose Mendez said.

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Family members speak on Irewamiri Shote

Local perspective:

"I just feel like what will I do without him?" Irewamiri Shote’s sister, Iredolamu Shote, said.

It’s her new reality after her brother died. The Shote siblings, from Richardson, Texas, were in Austin last week.

"We went to Lady Bird Lake. At first, he didn't want to share a paddleboard with me because he said I'd slow him down, but we ended up sharing one, and we were having fun. We were paddling and everything was fine, and then we got to this shallow part of the lake, and we decided to get down and swim," Shote said. "Then there was a shelf apparently, so I was at the top part of the shelf where it’s normal, and he was swimming too far, and he got to the deep side."

Then Shote was gone.

"When it happened, I was just screaming at the lake. People were staring at me, I was screaming, but they were just staring at me like I was a weird person, like why is she screaming? Which is just odd, like can’t you help?" Shote said.

"I was hoping maybe he walked off somewhere, or maybe we'd find him somewhere. Just seeing the body is just a rude awakening and a very shocking confirmation for me," Irewamiri Shote’s Uncle, Olumuyiwa Ajayi, said.

Ajayi said this is a terrible loss for his family and the community.

"He loves being very involved in the community, and he has such a heart of gold. He does a lot of things for people without expecting anything back," Ajayi said.

Shote had just finished his junior year in high school. He played football, basketball, and track. His family said he always tried to help others and his bond with his sister was truly special.

"I’m always going to remember him as this funny, goofy dude who always tries to make jokes and always tries to be funny. That’s how I want to remember him," Shote said.

What you can do:

The family has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.