Written by Elahe Amani
"Everyone can
master a grief but he that has it." - William Shakespeare
It was Sunday evening that I
heard the sad and heartbreaking news about Aydin Salek.
Aydin died in the earlier hours of Sunday
December 13th, one day short of his 18th birthday.
I met Aydin few years ago in one of the community meetings for addressing
human rights violations in Iran. Aydin and his mother were introduced as
a family that came recently to Southern California. Aydin's mother an architect
by training, working on her PHD and His father, a dentist reunited with them
only 4 months ago after finally obtaining exit permit to leave Iran.
Aydin came
across to me as an energetic, politically aware and engaged teenager. I
recall I encouraged him to explore the opportunities with clubs and
organizations such as UNA at his school. Our very limited interactions
convinced me that he was a gifted young man.
It was only after his tragic
death that I learned that he was the student representative on the District
Board of Education for his 4,000-student school district, club founder and
president of Model United Nations, president and founder of South Pasadena High
School American Cancer Society Youth Club, and a writer for the South Pasadena
High newspaper.
In winter of 2009, Aydin won
the Rotary International Leadership Youth Award. These are just few of his
accomplishments.
Los Angeles Times local news section on Dec 15th had a headline
stating "Aydin Salek, 17, was smart and affable, and he had big dreams.
He was among school's most promising and popular students. He was involved in
student government, charity efforts and sport." Sutton one of the
classmate interviewed by LA Times said " .. his goal was to go to Harvard,
become a defense attorney and then a prosecutor and ultimately serve on the U.S.
Supreme Court."
The
article continues "in his senior year, he wrote for the school newspaper and
had volunteered to work for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He also served
as elected student liaison to the South Pasadena School Board. Classmates said
he offered a free doughnut to anyone who voted for him and delivered on the
promise when he won."
"He also competed on
the school's swim team and served as its manager. He was president of the
American Cancer Society club at the school and participated in Model United
Nations. He was outspoken politically and always had a joke ready." "School
Board President Richard Sonner recalled that Salek was so determined to take an
active role at board meetings that he studied the law to make his case for
student influence."
Aydin's was known as a down to earth student who used his magic to talk about
serious matters or as his friends referred to " un-cool things" in a cool
way. Gary Pia, a volunteer with the cancer group said " he had a way of
"Tom Sawyer-ing" people into joining his volunteer activities". "Everyone knew
him," said classmate Rachel Sutton, 18. "He was very passionate about everything
he did."
Last Monday, on
his birthday, a "R.I.P
Aydin Salek" page was created on Facebook so
that his friends share their pictures and videos. Only in few days, the page
has more than 2300 members. Facebook actually "memorializes" people's
pages when they die. Often, months later, people will still leave messages, as
they might leave flowers at a grave. The
idea that "they'll always be alive", on the Internet is not that far from the
idea that someone is always alive as long as we remember them.
Although the cause
of Aydin's death is still being investigated but there has been a mention of
alcohol in initial reports. Spring semester of senior year is being perceived
as the break between the hard work of high school and embarking on college
years. This is the time that many seniors including highly successful ones are
vulnerable to excessive behaviors.
The federal government's annual
report of kids' alcohol and drug abuse , a survey of 46,000
American 8th, 10th and 12th graders published
on December 14th, 2009 indicates that "Among
high school seniors, 11% said they had drunk 10 drinks or more in a row in the
two weeks prior to the survey; 6% said they'd had 15 or more. Needless to say
that the accomplished adolescent with high confidence can also be vulnerable as
they even feel confident in the moment before the final moment.
Aydin
was the very essence of a passionate young man. For his family he was their
beloved son, an accomplished, loving and caring son. For his community he was a
promising future leader. He exemplified the qualities of first generation
immigrants, he was proud of his Persian heritage, yet determined to contribute
and redefine humanity the way he understood it, using his particular brand of
magic.
Aydin was a change maker, a mover and shaker who was
not satisfied with what was provided to him rather demanded what he felt belongs
to him. A young leader, who took command not only for his life but also touched
and impacted many lives around him.
He was always a cheerful wit, humble and yet
capable with a high level of emotional intelligence to understand and feel
people and make connection with them. I am not surprised at the influx of
e-mails and Facebook postings, not surprised at the pictures and video clips
posted to his page on Facebook, not surprised at the number of students who came
every night to the front yard of their residence and light candles in a big
heart shape, I am not surprised at the long and colorful
15-foot poster filled with handwritten notes by South
Pasadena High students.
As someone who occasionally comes
across with similar memorials on campus ( I should say sadly too ) the volume
of what his friends had to share about Aydin is very special and speaks loud
and clear how he touched the life of people around him with his never faded
smile, warmth and cheerful presence.
Thinking about Aydin, reminds me of the signature
hit of Skeeter Davis in 1965 ,
The End Of The World.
Why does the sun go
on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don't they know it's the end of the world,
Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of the world.
I wake up in the morning and I wonder,
Why everything's the same as it was.
I can't understand. No, I can't understand,
How life goes on the way it does.
Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when you said goodbye.
Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when you said goodbye.
Last night Aydin's friends, classmates, teachers and
community members walked for 15 minutes from South Pasadena High School to his
parent's residence to show their support. Los Angeles Times article dated
December 17th "Large
crowd holds vigil for South Pasadena teen" reports:
"Hundreds
of students, teachers and community members gathered outside the high school
gym on Diamond Avenue. They held paper cups with tea lights and votive
candles glowing in the night. "Keep Aydin in your hearts," Veiller said.
And then everyone began to walk.
Past the school tennis courts and the aquatic center they walked. In solemn
silence, they passed houses trimmed in colorful holiday lights. Cupping
hands around their candles, they walked across cracked pavement and past
barking dogs. The only sound came from shoes shuffling over the middle of
the street.
After 15 minutes, they arrived in the 1800 block of Gillette Crescent, where
friends and family members of Salek waited outside a white house. Led by a
student, the crowd softly sang the first verse of "Let It Be."
On
December 17, Aidyn's parents were informed that the American Cancer
Society- San Gabriel Valley local volunteer
recognition awards which take place each year in the fall will be entitled, The
"Aydin Salek Award" - recognition for exceptional
youth leadership and service. Candidates who
receive this award will be youth who contribute to the advancement of the
American Cancer Society's mission and civic engagement.
Aydin's parents are respected and socially committed
community members. They have been active in solidarity with the Iranian people
who lost their sons and daughters to the atrocities perpetuated in post election
demonstrations in Iran. The community is now sharing the pain they are
enduring.
For everything that Aydin's short life manifested, he
will live forever in our hearts. His presence in this world is now part of the
universe. In the words of Khalil Gibran he stood in the sun and melted into the
wind...
... Payvand News - 12/19/09 ... --
