$37K Raised To Help Family Of Stillwater Teen Who Died Saving Friend

STILLWATER, MN — Friends have raised tens of thousands of dollars to help support the family of their friend, Suleiman Ibrahim Abdagarado, a Stillwater teen who died last week after going missing in the St. Croix River.

Suleiman, 17, went into the river around 5:40 p.m. Thursday in Lake St. Croix Beach to help a friend who was struggling in the water, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.

He was missing for about 40 minutes before he was pulled from the river and taken to Regions Hospital, where he died early Friday morning, according to police.

Suleiman was a junior at Stillwater Area High School. He left behind a legacy of “leadership and friendship,” SAHS cultural liaison Cornelius Rush told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

Suleiman’s friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to support his family “in their time of grief and mourning.”

The campaign has raised $37,840 from more than 910 donors, as of 10:30 a.m. Monday. It’s seeking to raise $40,000 for Suleiman’s family.

Organizer Mac Anderson wrote that Suleiman was a “beloved friend, brother and son” and said the money will be used to help pay for Suleiman’s funeral expenses “and any others that come with this young man’s passing.”

“He will be deeply missed and continue to live on as an example of what true love and friendship is,” Anderson wrote.

Suleiman “was a kind hearted soul and made sure to go out of his way to make sure others were okay,” a donor wrote on the GoFundMe campaign page. “And for that it means a lot to me that I share the good that he always portrayed and stood for.”

Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry called Suleiman’s death a “devastating tragedy” in a news release Friday.

School counselors were available Friday at Stillwater Area High School to help students cope with Suleiman’s death.

"We extend our deepest sympathy to the family and everyone impacted directly or indirectly by their passing. During this time of grief we ask you to keep the family in your thoughts,” SAHS Principal Robert Bach said Friday in a message to families.

"The death of a classmate, even for those who didn't know them well, will impact each student differently and all reactions need to be addressed with great care and support," Bach said.

Click here to view the GoFundMe campaign to support Suleiman Abdagarado’s family.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

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