NYC drowning victim was immigrant college student whose bright future was swept away at Jacob Riis Park in Rockaways
A bright young college student, swept to his death by the waves off Jacob Riis Park in Queens, died as he lived: With a smile on his face.
Amadou Thiam, 19, perished in the Rockaways surf on July 28, leaving his devastated family to recall the last happy seconds of his life before the teen disappeared into the ocean water.
“Amadou’s final moments were a testament to the joy he carried with him always,” reads a family GoFundMe recalling the teen victim. “As the ocean took him from us, he was in a moment of laughter, unaware that would become the last image imprinted in our minds.”
The young immigrant from Senegal arrived in New York only six years ago, working hard to land a spot in the Skidmore College class of 2026, where he was a member of the Muslim Student Association and the Skidmore Scholars in Science and Math Program, the school said in a statement.
He died one day after a 15-year-old boy drowned when pulled under the waves at Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn in an area where lifeguards were off duty and swimming was prohibited. The body of Markel Artis was recovered two days after he was swept into the ocean on July 27.
Thiam disappeared into the waves about 7:40 p.m. Lifeguards go off duty for the day at 6 p.m. and swimming is prohibited after that.
Both drownings came as the city was gripped by its first heat wave of summer.
The Thiam family statement said his success was indicative of the teen’s upbeat approach to life.
“He embraced ‘the glass is half full’ mentality, radiating optimism wherever he went,” the statement read. “It is heartbreaking to know that he had so much more to offer the world before we had to say goodbye.”
Thiam was in the ocean at the federal park in the evening of July 28 evening when witnesses saw him disappear in the waves, with the unconscious victim washing up on the shore. He was later pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital.
“He was a friend to many, with an infectious optimism that uplifted those around him,” read a message from Skidmore College President Marc C. Connor and Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs Adrian Bautista.
“The tragic end of his too-short life — a life filled with joy and promise — not only leaves us shocked and saddened, but also leaves a void within our Skidmore community.”
A memorial service for the young student was planned after the return of students to the campus this fall.
The family’s online posting said the victim’s memory will linger long after his tragic death.
“Amadou’s journey on this Earth might have ended too soon, but his impact on our lives will live on,” read the family statement. “He will always be remembered as an extraordinary soul who inspired us to be better and to cherish the gift of life.”
