Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond has started a petition on change.org, calling for the draining of Lake Lanier in metro Atlanta. This is where Raymond’s 11-year-old son Kile Glover with Ryan Glover, the founder of Bounce TV, “died…after a personal watercraft struck the boy as he floated in an inner tube on the lake,” in July of 2012.
At the time of publishing, Raymond has collected just over 14,500 out of her 15,000 goal.
“As a grieving mother who tragically lost my son Kile far too soon, I am determined to make a difference. That’s why I signed the petition to clean and restore Lake Lanier,” reads the petition.
“It’s not just about cleaning the lake; it’s about enforcing stricter laws and mandates that have been lax in the past,” writes Raymond. “The ultimate goal is to create a safer environment for everyone and prevent further tragedies. No mother should have to bury her child.”
“Draining, cleaning, and restoring Lake Lanier is not only necessary but also an opportunity to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives and prevent further tragedies,” the petition continues.
As the petition alludes, Kile isn’t the only one to fall victim to their death in Lake Lanier. “For folks who are familiar with Lake Lanier, a Georgia landmark, these tragic deaths aren’t surprising. Over the years, hundreds of people have died there, making Lake Lanier one of the deadliest lakes in the United States,” Teen Vogue reports.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has “reported more than 170 boating and drowning deaths between 1994 and 2018.”
In addition to the rash of mysterious deaths, this site also has racist origins. The name derives from private Sidney Lanier who served in the Confederate States Army.
Lake Lanier is the largest in Georgia and located about an hour’s drive away from Atlanta. It “covers nearly 60 square miles (155 square kilometers) and has waters up to 160 feet (49 meters) deep,” per the Associated Press.
Many believe that the lake is haunted. Some even consider this assertion credible given that the man-made lake “covers what was once a thriving Black community called Oscarville,” during the 1800s Reconstruction era times.
But then white residents of Forsyth County forced the Black residents of Oscarville to leave their homes and vacate the area.
“In the 1950s, what was once Oscarville was flooded for the creation of Lake Lanier,” the Teen Vogue article notes. “According to historians, many of the community’s structures were not removed, including unmarked graves.”
But Raymond is determined to right past wrongs, concluding her plea for “draining, cleaning, and restoring Lake Lanier” with a loving tribute to her son, “I Love You Kile and I will fight to the end!”