In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Kiana Sims, a mother from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, gathered with family and friends for a solemn vigil on Thursday to remember and honor the lives of her two sons, 8-year-old Legend Sims and 6-year-old Antwon Amos Jr.
The young boys tragically lost their lives last week after falling through the ice in a retention pond near their home.
Kiana, overwhelmed with grief, shared her pain and disbelief during the emotional gathering.
Last Friday, after disembarking from their school bus at the Wildwood Apartments, Antwon fell through the ice, and in a heroic effort, Legend attempted to rescue his younger brother.
Tragically, both boys succumbed to the icy waters.
“This was the first day that I actually drove past this pond, and I just started bawling,” Kiana is quoted in a report by WMTV 15.
Kiana believes that more could have been done to save her sons, as she points out bystanders who, she feels, could have taken action.
“People could see something. Someone could have said stop,” she emphasized, expressing her frustration with what she perceives as a lack of humanity and courage in the critical moments.
According to the report, the family had recently relocated to Sun Prairie from Madison with hopes of embarking on a new chapter together.
“I just thought they would have been here still today. We just had so many plans,” Kiana lamented.
The grieving mother expressed gratitude for the support pouring in from the community as friends and family rally around her and her three other children. Cheriece Sims, the boys’ aunt, described Legend and Antwon as “amazing” kids, highlighting the strong bond within the family.
Addressing the safety concerns around the retention pond, City of Madison Alder Sabrina Madison, who had previously worked with the family, is advocating for preventive measures.
She has been in contact with Sun Prairie officials to ensure proper signage and protection around the pond. Madison shared a positive update, stating:
“Alder Bohling shared with me that they did reach out to the Digger’s hotline and the gate should be on its way.”
The gate is expected to be installed next week.
In the midst of their grief, the Sims family is receiving support through a GoFundMe campaign, set up to assist with the burial and memorial expenses for Legend and Antwon.
As the community comes together to remember the lives lost, there is hope that the tragic incident will prompt increased awareness and safety measures to prevent such heart-wrenching incidents in the future.
