From Imprint Online – University of Waterloo
Tahira Rahemtulla – Reporter
The 20th of October, 2007 was an auspicious day for many students, not only because of convocation weekend, but because students payed their last respects to a beloved friend and esteemed classmate: Zafrin Khandani.
Zafrin was a student at the University of Waterloo and was involved in a fatal accident on campus during the summer, where he died as a result of a fall from the rooftop of a Village 1 residence. A math student in his last year, Zafrin was not what you would call a typical senior student; while he was focused on his work, he also participated in many extracurricular activities, and never shied away from offering a helping hand. Zafrin, lovingly called Zaf by family and friends, was a close friend and brother to many people, including his professors.
Aly Somani, a close friend of Zaf’s, explained that Zafrin had a huge impact on his life by teaching him to love: “Love without hesitation, love without fear, love with a free will.” Zafrin will always be remembered for his positive and empowering attitude, which he was always trying to spread to others.
In Zafrin’s honour, a tree, named the Tree of Peace, was planted outside the math and computers building next to the Student Life Centre. A large rock is placed in front of the tree which bears a plaque with his picture. At 11:00 a.m. on the day of the 20th, a hundred or so people gathered around the tree to pay their last respects to Zaf.
Amidst strong gusts of winds accompanied by blasts of cold air, Zafrin’s parents, Sadru and Neyla Khandani, and their daughter, Ziya Khandani, unveiled the rock and presented the Tree of Peace.
The rock was covered with a flag bearing Superman’s emblem in tribute to Zaf, who was an avid fan of all things Superman — several people in the audience paid personal homage to this by wearing Superman T-shirts. Following the unveiling, Ziya, a current student at UW, placed a bouquet of flowers at the base of the tree.
Professors David Taylor of the mathematics department and Meena Sharify-Funk of the religious studies department each presented a speech about Zafrin, along with a couple of Zaf’s favourite poems shared by Sharify-Funk. To close the ceremony, Matthew Hurford, a close friend and classmate of Zaf’s, sang a song he wrote in his friend’s memory.
In addition to the tree that was planted, Zafrin was granted an honourary degree, which his sister Ziya accepted during his commencement.
Later in the evening, friends and family gathered in MC to share memories of Zafrin. The evening began with a video Zafrin had made in his last year at UW for one of his religious studies classes, followed by dinner and a slideshow of Zaf’s pictures, prepared by friends. To finish off the formalities of the evening, Ziya made a speech about her memories of Zaf and her gratitude to her many supporters.
A group of Zafrin’s friends, Alykhan Jinnah, Adnan and Hussein Ebrahim, Imran Mamdani, Aleem Ladak and Ahwaz Chagani, reminisced over memories they had all shared with Zaf. “Zafrin lived to help others. Other’s happiness gave him happiness. Being his friends, we were able to see the true humanist that he was,” they said.
Due to the impact that Zafrin had on so many lives and to which they owe their inspiration, many people have realized Zafrin’s dream of being able to make a difference in the lives of others and attempt to carry this light forward. Farhad Shariff, another close friend, mentioned that Zaf “essentially transformed me into the person I am today. He taught me the importance of friends and family.”
Zafrin will always be cherished in the hearts of those who knew him and admired by those who will hear about him. “To many you were a great friend, to some you were a great conversation, to me,” said Aly, “you were my rock.” As Zafrin listed as his instant messenger screen name, “If you’re reading this… SMILE!”
Ismailimail 