News
July 14, 2023 | 12:09 a.m
R&B singer Usher’s ex-wife is urging authorities to drain Georgia’s largest lake, where her son was hit by a jet ski and killed 11 years ago.
Fashion designer Tameka Foster has collected more than 3,000 signatures for an online petition to “drain, clean and restore” Lake Lanier, a 44-mile long reservoir northeast of Atlanta.
Only after the massive lake is completely drained can officials safely remove hazardous material and “implement enhanced safety measures at the lake to ensure the well-being of all individuals engaged in personal watercraft and recreational activities,” Foster claimed.
Her 11-year-old son, Kile Glover, was floating on an inner tube in Lake Lanier in July 2012 when a jet ski piloted by family friend Jeffrey Hubbard crashed into him.
Kile – son of Bounce TV founder Ryan Glover and stepson of Usher – was pronounced brain dead but was placed on life support for two weeks before dying.
Hubbard was convicted of multiple counts, including murder by ship, and sentenced to four years in prison and 15 years probation.
Usher holds Kile at the Kids Choice Awards 2008. Getty Images
“This incident underscores, among other things, the urgent need for proper zoning, safety and full remediation within the lake,” Foster said.
According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, heavy traffic on the lake has resulted in hundreds of boat collisions over the past three decades.
The agency reported more than 170 boating and drowning deaths between 1994 and 2018.
The grieving mother claimed the construction of the 73-year-old artificial lake that partially flooded the heavily black community of Oscarville could disrupt the water’s currents and pose a hazard to those who use it for recreation.
According to the conservation group Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the lake is not only a popular place to visit, but also provides drinking water for about five million people.
Heavy traffic in Lake Lanier has resulted in hundreds of boat collisions over the past three decades, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. AP
The Buford Dam at the southern end of the lake generates hydroelectric power for the greater Atlanta area.
After Lake Lanier is drained, Foster proposes introducing stricter regulations and zoning water-related activities.
“The draining, cleansing and restoration of Lake Lanier is not only necessary, but an opportunity to honor the memory of those who lost their lives and prevent further tragedy,” she wrote.
“I love you Kile and I will fight to the end!”
Foster and the “DJ Got Us Falling in Love” singer divorced in 2009 after two years of marriage.
The couple have sons together, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd.
The two had a contentious relationship and were in the middle of a bitter custody battle when the tragic accident happened.
With post wires
https://nypost.com/2023/07/14/ushers-ex-tameka-foster-wants-to-drain-georgias-lake-lanier-where-son-kile-glover-died-in-2012/?utm_source =url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Copy the URL to share