Friends honor life of Lincoln teen who drowned in Holmes Lake

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A week after a 16-year-old drowned in Holmes Lake, friends gathered Friday to honor his life and support his family.

Ali Al-Baaj was going to be a junior at Lincoln North Star High School.

Police said he was with family members at Holmes Lake on the night of June 13 when he decided to go swimming. He then disappeared into the water.

Madison Swenson, a family friend, said the Al-Baajes visited the lake frequently.

“A lot of times, just going for a walk in the park was an important activity for the family,” she said.

Layla Omari, another friend, said she had known Al-Baaj since she was a child.

She recounted one of their last conversations.

“He was telling me that he wanted to get a degree similar to mine and that he was looking forward to finishing school and being able to accomplish things in his life,” Omari said.

Ali was born and raised in Nebraska. Omari said he grew up on a farm in Raymond, surrounded by animals.

Her parents came to the United States in the 1990s as refugees from Iraq, and now her mother helps families like theirs.

“She has dedicated 20 years to serving the Lincoln refugee community and the community in need of assistance in general,” Omari said.

Omari and Swenson want to raise awareness about swimming in local lakes.

“It’s important to know your surroundings, to know the water you’re jumping into,” Omari said.

She also hopes the city will add more signs to Holmes Lake to let people know that swimming is not allowed.

The friends want to help the family with funeral expenses and place a headstone on Ali's grave.

They have created a GoFundMe page to help.