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Family And Friends Gather To Remember Ky'ron Aikens

BROOKLYN, Md. (WJZ)-- He fell through the ice of a Lansdowne Pond. Now, family and friends gather to say a final goodbye to 13-year old Ky'ron Aikens.

Meghan McCorkell has more on how he is being remembered.

Family members gather around the casket of 13-year old Ky'ron Aikens. The sixth grader lost his life more than a week ago.

"He was taken from us in a moment. We didn't even have a chance to say goodbye," said Rev. Keith Paige, Cherry Community Presbyterian Church.

On January 25th, Aikens and three friends walked out onto the ice of a pond behind Lansdowne High School. The ice buckled, all four of them falling in--two of the boys were able to swim to safety.

Bystanders jumped in the water to rescue 12-year old Omar Benjamin--who remains in the hospital, but they couldn't find Aikens.

It took dive teams over an hour to pull him out of the water. He died the next day at the hospital.

"He was just so special. He would do anything for you," said Veronica Aikens, Ky'ron's grandmother.

Today, Aikens was remembered as an energetic, outgoing child who was already a star wrestler at his school.

Friends and family filled the church to honor the teen who they say loved motorcycles and Godzilla movies.

"This young man led a good life. He had good parents. He had good upbringing."

His family says they've cherished their time with Ky'ron, who had a spirit for life and a love for the world.

"He always had such a wonderful sense of humor and a huge impact on the lives of others."

Now, through the pain, his family says their final goodbyes as he is laid to rest.

Family members of the other boy who fell through the ice, Omar Benjamin, say he is beginning to recover.

The pond in Lansdowne does have signs surrounding it warning people not to go on the ice.

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