Funeral services are set as a family says they are left with “immense grief” after a 17-year-old boy, who was a junior at Waukegan High School and described as a “truly sweet boy,” died from drowning while swimming in Waukegan.
The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 5:30 p.m. Monday to the Waukegan North Harbor, 199 East Madison Street in Waukegan, for a report of a water rescue.
Waukegan Fire Department Battalion Chief Todd Zupec said 911 dispatchers reported that a person was under the water in the harbor channel area.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the victim on Tuesday as Gabriel Ramirez, 17, of Waukegan.
Bystanders reported that Ramirez went missing in Lake Michigan and emergency crews arrived at both the Waukegan Harbor and the Waukegan Municipal Beach to begin a search.
Zupec said friends of Ramirez were located and reported they had been swimming in the channel with Ramirez but he did not make it out of the water. The friends then called 911 for help.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level, prompting the response of boats, divers and sonar equipment from fire departments throughout the county but was canceled a short time later.
The U.S. Coast Guard also responded to aid in the search.
Bill Barron, who said he had been in the area of the Waukegan Harbor for most of the day, heard ambulances, fire trucks and police cars responding to the area.
Zupec said a rescue boat with divers was deployed to the channel and the area of the last seen point.
The fire department launched a boat to the south rocks and returned to the dock just after 6:20 p.m., Barron said.
Zupec said divers were deployed and were able to find Ramirez within minutes of searching along the breakwall near the bottom.
Firefighters brought him back to the Waukegan North Harbor.
Barron said firefighters and paramedics were actively performing CPR on the victim and placed him onto a stretcher.
He was wearing shorts but no shirt or shoes when he was pulled from the water.
Ramirez, who was unresponsive, was loaded into an awaiting ambulance, which remained on the scene for 10-15 minutes, Barron said.
The ambulance transported Ramirez to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan in critical condition.
Banek said Ramirez was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Ramirez was a junior at Waukegan High School, according to Waukegan Public Schools Director of Communications and Chief of Staff Nicholas Alatzakis.
“Our hearts are with his family, friends, classmates, and everyone in our school community who is grieving this heartbreaking loss. We know this news is deeply difficult for many of our students and staff. Counseling services have been made available, and our focus remains on supporting those impacted during this time,” Alatzakis said to Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
Waukegan High School Principal Daniel Hill said in a letter to parents that “our thoughts are with Gabriel’s family, friends, and all those impacted by this loss.”
“We recognize that this news may be difficult for our students, especially during finals week. At school, we have made additional counseling and support services available,” Hill said.
Members of the school’s mental health response team are on campus to support students who may need someone to talk to.
“We encourage you to check in with your child and reach out if they need additional support. If you have concerns or would like assistance, please contact the school. We remain committed to supporting our students and ensuring they feel safe and cared for during this time,” Hill said.
Zupec said no other injuries were reported at the scene.
“The Waukegan Fire Department would like to remind residents to not swim in areas that are not designated for swimming. Dangerous currents exist around the piers and rock walls even during calm conditions. Please do not swim during dangerous weather or outside protected areas,” Zupec said.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital and took possession of Ramirez for an autopsy.
The autopsy was conducted on Tuesday morning and examination results confirm his death was consistent with drowning, Banek said.
An obituary for Ramirez said he was a “noble-hearted boy” dedicated to his studies from a young age.
“As he grew older, he proudly helped his parents make ends meet—whether by assisting with household chores or working as a food delivery driver. His loss leaves an immense void in the lives of his parents… as well as in the lives of many friends from Waukegan High School and family members,” his obituary said.
A visitation has been scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Thursday at The Memorial Chapel of Waukegan, 1521 Washington Street in Waukegan.
A funeral mass is set for 10 a.m. Friday at Most Blessed Trinity Parish – Holy Family Catholic Church, 450 Keller Avenue in Waukegan.
A burial will follow at Ascension Catholic Cemetery, 1920 Buckley Road in Libertyville.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family of Ramirez with the unexpected expenses. The account has raised over $8,500 with an $11,000 goal.
Evelyn Grijalva-Carrillo, who is the cousin of Ramirez, said the unexpected death has left the family “reeling” with “immense grief” and also burden of unforseen expenses.
“Gabriel was my cousin—a truly sweet, non-problematic, and hard-working teen who was deeply committed to his schoolwork. He loved working out and was known for his dedication, often doing DoorDash to help his parents with financial support,” she said.