'He made everybody smile': Grieving the loss of 16-year-old Soham Lane

Family and friends of Soham Lane of Harrow, Ont. are gathering this week to remember the late 16 year old who died suddenly earlier this month following a collision on Oct. 6.

Lane was a longtime member of the Miracle League of Amherstburg, an organization that provides opportunities for children and adults to play baseball, playing with the group since he was 4 years old.

"He was a great guy," said League President Shawn Dufour.

"He was nonverbal, but 'ball' was definitely one of the words that he knew," Dufour recalled. "He also knew his best friend, Tommy. 'Tommy' and 'Ball' were two of the most prominent words in his vocabulary, actually."

Dufour explained Lane was one of the regular faces of the Miracle League of Amherstburg, remembering him as a joyful person.

"[Lane] coming across home plate with his arms up and a big smile on his face, that's how he did it. Three times every Saturday when we played three innings and every time he gets a home run, he's coming across home plate with that big smile...and then into his teammates with the big smile as well. So, he used that face of his when it crosses home plate is something that is, kind of etched in my memory...it will be forever, actually," said Dufour.

Dufour said Lane and his family were always present for Saturday game days, noting the teen most recently played the day before his death.

"His family was one of the last to leave on that Saturday," Dufour said. "His family came out to all his games. He's got four younger siblings, they usually had two or three with them and it was either mom or dad, grandma and grandpa were there."

An undated image of Soham Lane. (Source: Sheena Lane

Lane, who had Down syndrome, was adopted and was the oldest amongst his four siblings. His parents declined an interview as they grieve their loss and prepare for their son's funeral on Wednesday in Kingsville.

According to Dufour, Lane was also involved with the Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association and Windsor-Essex Down Syndrome Association.

He said the Miracle League paid tribute to Lane during this past Saturday's games while plans are in place to continue honouring Lane ahead of the next season. He said the organization also made special commemorative cards as a tribute to Lane.

"We make player cards every other year for our players, and they asked if we could do a special card for him, which we did. On the front side, it has a picture of him in his first year, at the age of four. It was 2012. And then his picture from 2024 on the backside," Dufour said.

Dufour added, "The Miracle League meant a lot to them and now we just want to be there for them."

Others who knew Lane, like Country Learning Centre CEO Lyndee Codinha, remembered the teen was always dressed with a smile that could brighten any room.

"He made everybody smile. If you were having a bad day and you saw him, he just lit up and he saw you and he was so happy with you," Codinha said. "He loves baseball. Any opportunity he had to play baseball or basketball, he was quick to always find a ball. And, he loved his sports. He would engage with different older kids and younger kids to try and get them to play along with him."

Codinha continued, "We were all kind of in disbelief. It is a really sad situation."

Meantime, Essex County OPP said on Tuesday that the investigation into the fatal collision continues but that charges are not anticipated.

According to his obituary, donations in Lane's memory can be made to the Miracle League of Amherstburg, the Windsor-Essex Riding Association, or the Windsor-Essex Down Syndrome Association.