‘He died a hero:’ Teen who tried to save swimmers in distress identified

By News Staff

A teenage boy hailed a hero for trying to save two people from a strong undercurrent at Woodbine Beach last Friday has been identified.

Kyle Howard-Muthulingam, 16, died in hospital after he was pulled from Lake Ontario.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) confirmed that he was a student at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough. He had just finished Grade 11 and was heading into Grade 12 in the performing arts program.

Kyle waded into the water to try and help a mother and her son who were in distress.

He was one of four people who were ultimately pulled from the lake. The others survived, but Howard-Muthulingam died shortly after in hospital.

The TDSB opened Kyle’s school on Pharmacy Avenue on Wednesday so members of the school community could pay tribute to him.

“There’s been a steady stream of students,” spokeswoman Shari Schwartz-Maltz told CityNews. “A lot of kids sharing memories about Kyle. There’s some laughter and some crying. It’s just a chance for them to be together.”

Schwartz-Maltz said Kyle was a well-liked and “energetic” student who excelled at dance and drama.

“Kyle really stood out,” she added. “He died a hero. Nobody is surprised. (Helping others) was very much an element of his personality.”

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