Usher’s ex-wife wants to drain Georgia’s largest lake, where a boater fatally struck her son

Tameka Foster, the former spouse of R&B artist Usher, is advocating for the emptying and restoration of Georgia’s largest lake, where her son was fatally struck 11 years prior.

Foster, a fashion designer, has garnered over 2,500 endorsements on her online appeal demanding the “draining, cleansing, and reviving” of Lake Sidney Lanier. Her intent is to allow for safety upgrades and the clearing of dangerous rubble and other impediments.

In a tragic incident that took place in July 2012, her 11-year-old son, Kile Glover, whom she had with Bounce TV creator Ryan Glover, lost his life. Kile was hit by a personal watercraft while he was enjoying a ride on an inner tube in the lake.

Through her change.org petition, which she also publicizes on her Instagram account, Foster writes, “It’s not only necessary to drain, clean, and restore Lake Lanier, but it’s also an opportunity to remember those who have tragically lost their lives and to prevent future calamities.”

Lake Lanier, situated approximately an hour’s drive northeast of Atlanta, spans almost 60 square miles (155 square kilometers) with waters reaching depths of up to 160 feet (49 meters). The lake is not only a popular retreat for millions of boaters, anglers, and other visitors annually but also serves critical functions.

According to the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper conservation group, the lake supplies drinking water to about 5 million individuals. Additionally, Buford Dam, located at the southern tip of the lake, produces hydroelectric power for the metropolitan Atlanta area.

The Army Corps of Engineers built Lake Lanier in the 1950s, and the Corps’ district office in Mobile, Alabama, which continues to manage the lake, did not immediately respond to phone and email inquiries for comment on Thursday.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources reports that the heavy usage of the lake has led to hundreds of boat crashes over the last three decades. The department recorded more than 170 boating and drowning fatalities between 1994 and 2018.

Foster and Usher tied the knot in 2007 and parted ways two years later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Drain Lake Lanier

More about Drain Lake Lanier

• Change.org Petition by Tameka Foster
• Lake Lanier – Wikipedia
• Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
• Georgia Department of Natural Resources