We won’t forget, Jaber
Only god can give life, in its fragile state. It has been taken away from the hearts of many endearing students.
This past weekend we, as a whole student body, lost a very precious commodity. We lost a very special student, Jaber Sadeq – a junior electrical engineering major from Kuwait, took his life. My heart cries out over his tragic decision. Among the many things learned, the foremost is this – never underestimate the presence and intention of your peers. As this past Monday rolled around, striding through campus conveyed the extent that this sadness plagues the student body.
Life is fragile. Life is short. The students, his friends, his acquaintances, and professors hung their heads in a hole of pain. This flagrant pain that immediately hit the hearts of us all will continue to envelope and linger. I am outraged, hoping that I will eventually reach an intoxicating state of numbness. I know now that I will never see my beloved friend again. Let it be said that Jaber Sadeq will live and flourish forever in the hearts of many. His sheer presence filled many rooms and hearts alike. He was known as a man of power. I know that I have never seen a challenge that Jaber could not overcome. I don’t want to sensationalize this incident, but the bleeding hearts of many cry for this final farewell. Jaber, we love you. Jaber, we will always miss you.
One of Jaber’s many friends, Brittany Crawley, writes, “Jaber was kind-hearted, a leader, a role model, an inspirer, a joker, self-motivated and very strong individual.” She met Jaber eight years ago while competing in various sports in the U.A.E. She said, “I was amazed by his spirit, talent and motivation. Getting to know Jaber over the years, I have learned of his love for his family and friends. On your worst of days, if you ran into Jaber anywhere he would put a smile on your face. Jaber, you touched us all with your love, you will be in our hearts and minds forever.”
A character whom will always be remembered, is passed on by these words from his dear friends from Boaz hall, including Andrew Novak, Chris Dockins, Priscilla Velarde, Anjale Welton, Dana Dieckman, J.W. Marshall, Tera Monroe and many others: “Jaber Sadeq was an indomitable spirit. He touched our lives with his pure heart, his humor, his talent, his culture, his peerless athleticism and his very presence. He was a gift to all of us who spent a year with him in Boaz hall and to all who knew him at SMU. We will miss him everyday now that he is gone. We will ask ourselves if there was anything we could’ve done. Could we have told him how much we loved him? How much he meant to each of us?
Too often, we don’t tell those that we love and care for how much they mean to us until they are gone. We need to be more open with one another, more supportive of those that we are close to. We need to reach out to those around us and let them know that it is alright to share their pain – that we will be there for them no matter what. Make this the last time that someone we know and love feels so alone that they wouldn’t call out and tell us about their lives. If any of us would have known Jaber was considering ending his precious life and leaving us long before his time, I have no doubt we would have all let him know what a powerful and effervescent difference he made in our lives. Let’s not wait anymore for this to happen before we tell our friends we love them. Jaber was a great light, snuffed out long before it was time.”
It is said that you learn something valuable from everyone you meet. Knowing Jaber, and knowing what he stood for as a student, athlete, son, brother, boyfriend and most importantly, an endearing friend, has propagated lofty growth in my personal life that I can never forget. Dismissing his effect on our lives would be a sheer act of futility. Jaber, we will hold you in our bottomless hearts forever, and may you now forever rest in peace. Thank you for your friendship.
