Hero. Brother. Best friend.
Those were some of the words family members, friends and coworkers used to describe Kevin Antoine McDowell, the 35-year-old man who died after jumping into the Columbia River to help a woman struggling to swim.
He did not resurface after jumping from a boat June 26, and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office River Patrol recovered his body eight days later on July 4. The woman survived.
On Friday night, over 150 people gathered at the Washington Park Amphitheater to celebrate the life he lived and the impact he had on others.
“It amazes me to know that people could come together like this for one person,” Rhonda Jackson, McDowell’s mother, said before the memorial. McDowell was kind, patient, loving, giving, understanding and so, so funny, she said.
No matter the moment, she said, “he would do something silly to make you laugh.”
Jackson, who lives in Southern California, opened the event with a prayer and invited anyone to speak. Flower bouquets in large vases dotted the front of the stage. On the right side, a table stood with McDowell’s photo and a crown on top of his cremated remains.
While people came up to speak, a projector on the left showed a slideshow of pictures and short videos of the Portland man dancing and enjoying himself.
He co-owned Capitol Bar in Northeast Portland with his fiancee, Dessiree Guy.
Trayanna Enriquez, one of McDowell’s sisters, said he introduced her to the city, opened his home on holidays and would always call to check in on her. She said the family grew up in the Los Angeles area.
”I will forever miss you and that goofy laugh,” she said. McDowell got caught in an undercurrent in the cold water, she said.
Jasper Rose didn’t really have a best friend in his life until he met McDowell, he said.
“It doesn’t cost anything to show love, which is what Kevin did the most,” he said through tears.
Darrell Wade shared a story of how McDowell gave him a space in Capitol Bar for free to bring people for his initiative, Black Men’s Wellness.
“I was like, well, how much y’all charge for the space, brother,” Wade said. He said, ‘I got you,’ and he had me.”
Guy, McDowell’s fiancee, said everything he did exuded love, including his passions for art, cooking, basketball and even people.
“You made people feel like they were family,” she said.
Sam Thompson shared a story of how McDowell opened up Capitol Bar to celebrate his 41st birthday even though the place was still rebuilding after an SUV smashed into it.
“My fam, there’s plastic all in here and all that, man,” Thompson said, which was met with laughs from the crowd. “He was like, ‘Nah we’re going to make it work.’”
Tyler West Jr. said he has never been to Portland without spending time with McDowell. Anytime he was at the airport, McDowell was there to greet him. “He loved me for me,” West said.
Doc Campbell, McDowell’s brother, said Enriquez and McDowell raised him to become a man.
Campbell said he remembers times living with Enriquez and McDowell where they weren’t sure where their next meal was coming from. McDowell always responded with one phrase.
“We’re going to figure it out,” Campbell said. And McDowell’s words always stayed in his head, he said.
Jackson, McDowell’s mother, was the last one to speak. She said McDowell always asked her to make peanut butter cookies and any type of fried chicken.
Jackson said people in Portland have showered her with gifts and welcomed her into their homes after she arrived in Portland to make arrangements for her son.
“I thank God for the people who allow my son,” she said. “I thank God for the people who allow my son to love them.”
She ended with a note on water safety, letting those in the audience know to always put their life vest on.
“Don’t get on a boat with somebody that’s not telling you (when) you leave, ‘Wear your life vest on, wear your flotation devices on,’” she said. “If they don’t tell you, take me back to shore.”
After the remembrances, people crowded to mingle and celebrate with music and Jackson said her son’s family and friends were heading to the place where McDowell established his roots.
Capitol Bar.
—Zaeem Shaikh; mshaikh@oregonian.com; 503-221-8111; @zaeemshake
