Red Behnam Ferho, a 38-year-old Windsor man, died in a boating accident on Lake St. Clair on June 6, 2026. His family remembers him as a friendly and hardworking individual who always had a smile on his face.
A life of kindness and dedication
Ferho was born in Baghdad, Iraq, on Nov. 3, 1987, and moved to Canada with his family in 2007. They first settled in Toronto before relocating to Windsor. According to his cousin, Aws Odeesh, Ferho quickly became known as someone who could be counted on without hesitation.
“He was a really friendly, hard-working guy,” Odeesh said. “He always smiled. If he met anyone, he would leave a good impact on them.”
Ferho never said no to anyone who needed help. He was always there to support, always there to help anyone who asked. That sense of responsibility extended closest to home, as he helped support his parents and remained close to them, even as he built his own life in Canada.
The tragic incident
Ferho was last seen Saturday evening in distress near the Belle River Marina. Police responded to a report of an “overdue boater” just before 8 p.m. A search began with efforts from the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre and the Canadian Coast Guard, along with OPP marine and emergency response teams.
By late Sunday afternoon, members of the OPP West Region’s underwater search and recovery unit discovered Ferho’s body.
Odeesh said the days since Ferho’s death have brought an outpouring of support from friends and community members who have visited the family to offer their condolences.
A bond that will never be forgotten
Odeesh, who grew up alongside his cousin in Iraq before moving to Canada, described a strong bond between the two. “He was my best man,” Odeesh said. “We hung out together. We were always together. I’ve never seen him angry or having an issue with anyone. He always got along with every single person he met.”
The tragic loss has left the family “struggling” to process what happened, according to Odeesh. “We say we are good, but reality is not,” he said. “We lost one of the best members in the family.”
Ferho is one of three siblings and is survived by his parents, brother and sister.
Funeral arrangements
A funeral mass will be held Friday at Holy Family Chaldean Catholic Church in Windsor, followed by a burial at Heavenly Rest Family of Catholic Cemeteries in LaSalle.
In a statement on Monday, the OPP thanked emergency service partners, local residents and members of the boating community for their assistance during the search. “Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with all family members and friends at this time,” police said in a news release Monday.
