Portland observer., July 20, 2022, Page 2, Image 2

Page 2
July 20, 2022
A Legacy of Kindness
Family, Friends
Remember
Community Hero
Family and friends hold a remembrance Friday for Kevin McDowell, the Portland man who died
saving a swimmer on the Columbia River on June 26. Pictured are (from left) sister Trayanna, fiancée
Dessiree and mother Rhonda Jackson (KATU Photo)
Your house,
your home.
If you’re worried about keeping your home,
a certified housing counselor can help.
Call 211 or visit OregonHomeownerHelp.org to
find a counselor today. It’s free and confidential.
On Friday evening July
15th family, friends, and the
community came together
at Washington Park Amphi-
theater to remember Kev-
in McDowell a well known
Portland restaurant owner
and community member who
recently died saving a life of
a swimmer.
On June 26, McDowell was
boating near Lemon Island
when he saw a woman strug-
gling to swim. He jumped
into the Columbia River to
help her. She was able to
reach safety, but McDowell
went under the water and did
not resurface. His body was
recovered several days later
on July 4.
McDowell's fiancé, Des-
siree Guy, expressed what
kind of person McDowell
was during the special cer-
emony. In a statement, she
wrote "This tragic occurrence
is a reminder of the selfless-
ness and love of who Kevin
is. Kevin is the type of man to
pay for another person's meal
sitting next to him. He would
take the shirt off his back for a
stranger without hesitation."
McDowell family members
came to Portland from Cali-
fornia following the incident
last month. His mom, Rhon-
da Jackson, says the support
from the community has been
overwhelming. Before re-
turning back to California,
Jackson wanted to warn other
of the dangers of the water.
"This water may look pretty,
but this water is dangerous,"
Jackson said. "My son was a
strong swimmer at six foot,
eight [inches]. There’s no
way he should’ve drowned."
Jackson is hopeful her
son's legacy will live on in
Portland through basketball
and the bar. She says the
local restaurant commu-
nity has really stepped up
to help Kevin's surviving
loved ones.