Family, friends and community members gathered on Friday to remember the life of a 17-year-old boy who drowned after swimming at a beach in Evanston.​

Over 1,600 people attended the funeral, according to Habeeb Quadri. Guests included Skokie Mayor Ann Tennes, Illinois Rep. Kevin Olickal, and several other community leaders, he said, largely due to the family’s large footprint in the area, which comprises up to 400 family members, he said.