Family and friends mourn 2 Ottawa teens who died in river

Candles lit up a section of Rideau River in Ottawa on Friday nightwhere two teen boysdied after falling through thin ice just days after Christmas.

Dozensof people gathered by the docksfor a vigil on thechilly, wet evening by Nicolls Island in south Ottawa, one day after police recoveredthe bodies of Ahmed Ahmed and Riley Cotterfrom the river following an extensive search effort that beganWednesday night.

Darkness on Friday night covered the frigid waters where the tragedy happened. One of the victims' auntspreviously told CBCher nephewhad left his family's Nepean home to go skating with three friends.

The warm flickers from candles became some of the only sources of light in the areaas friends, family, neighbours and peers mourned the deaths of the high school students.

Both Ahmed and Cotter were 17-year-old students at John McCrae Secondary School in Barrhaven, said their families.

TheOttawa-Carleton District School Board said in an email that the death of theirstudentswill be deeply feltby fellow peers and staff.

Ahmed and Cotter were with two other teens on Wednesday night when all four of them reportedly fell through the ice nearNicolls Island Road.

Theother two, who were siblings, emerged from the waters aliveand one ran for help to a nearby home, recalled a resident. Thatresident's family called 911afterseeing a soaking wet teen show up at her doorsteps, only wearing a T-shirt, socks and shorts.

"There's a real shadow over the island," said Janet Harrison,another neighbour who lives nearby, in an interview withCBC News Friday afternoon. She plannedon attending the vigil.

"We're all very shaken by what happened.... Our hearts go out to the family and friends of these youngsters."

WATCH | Gathering on the river's edge to remember:

Vigil held for 2 Ottawa teens who died after falling through the ice

9 months ago

Duration 2:18

Friends and family gathered to remember two teens who died after falling through the ice on the Rideau River in Ottawa Wednesday. Two other teens made it out alive one of them rescued his sister but couldn't manage to save his friend before racing to a neighbouring home for help.

Family and friends shared hugs and tears as they huddled around the water Friday night. Sobs from devastated loved onesechoed amid the crowd, as soft music played in the background.

Bouquets of flowers and candles lined the edge of the dock.

Family and friends shared that Cotter was a great kid, had a lot of friends andwas athletic.

Ahmed, who was about to turn 18 and just shy of graduating, aspired to be a police officer, his family said.

Laith Alhasanwent to school with Ahmed and came to the vigil because he "wanted to feel his presence."

"I was honestly devastated," Alhasan said. "Every time I'd see him... [I'd] see a smile on his face."

Friends also described him as a "jokester" who was kind and caring.

An Islamic funeral prayer was also heldfor Ahmed at the SNMC Mosque in Nepean on Saturday afternoon.

ImamZijad Delicsaid severalyoung people were among those who came by to pay their respects.

"For me [this is] an opportunity also to spark in their thinking what humanity is all about, what we need to focus on, how much life goes by so fast," Delic said outside the mosque.

The coroner's office is investigating bothdeaths.