Carmen Zavala, a 41-year-old mother of two, has a melody stuck in her head.

While she doesn’t remember its name, it reminds her of her 17-year-old son, Isrrael Escobar — and now, more than ever.

Escobar died Saturday in an apparent drowning at Steelhead Falls. Authorities believe he was caught in the undertow after swimming too close to the falls, a spot frequented by community members.

The music Zavala can’t forget comes from a performance Escobar gave as a member of the Ridgeview High School band. Her son, who was a junior, played the flute and tenor saxophone. He and a friend would practice it, again and again, in Zavala’s Redmond home.

“He would cry because of how much passion he had for this song,” Zavala said. “He would say, ‘Oh mom it makes your toes curl. It just grabs you and grips you.’” Zavala said she will never forget the light that her son brought into her family’s life, his bright smile and the many passions he had. Besides music, some of the hobbies he had involved cooking and drawing.

He would spend time with his “band family” often, and an outpouring of support can be seen in the comments of his Instagram page. Friends have shared fond memories and their shock.

One friend, Irene Germano, wrote that she had known the teen since seventh grade and accompanied her post with photos of the two together. Germano said he was a strong and beautiful man that only ever worked to make others happy.

Zavala described her son as her protector, a “gentle-giant” and “love bug” who would want to bring a smile to anyone having a bad day, especially his siblings. He loved cooking for Zavala and his older brother and would often make their favorite recipes whenever they had a craving.

While he spent most of his time with them, he tried to spend time with his three other siblings on his biological father’s side. His little sister was his biggest fan.

“When they would see him, she would run to him and jump on him,” Zavala said. “She loved him and would be crying because she missed him.”

In another attempt to remember her son, Zavala plans to get the tattoo Escobar had drawn for her on Mother’s Day.

“We’ve been trying to plan it out for a year now,” Zavala said. “My day never came for that, but I am going to do it once all of this is over.”

Tamara Salazar, a longtime friend who Zavala considers a sister, has started a fundraiser to help with Escobar’s funeral expenses. In a Facebook post she asks to wear a white shirt if you plan to attend the services.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at Redmond Memorial Cemetery at 1 p.m. and are open to the public, his mother said.

“I want to show my son to everybody,” Zavala said. “How could I not? He’s meant to be shared.”