BATON ROUGE, La. — Kareem Badawi, the College of Alabama pupil killed within the New Orleans terrorist assault, was laid to relaxation Friday as his father heartbreakingly recalled how excited his son was to have fun New Yr’s Eve within the Large Simple along with his buddies.
A whole bunch of mourners, together with a number of of Badawi’s classmates and fraternity brothers, attended the burial service at a maqbara close to the 18-year-old’s Baton Rouge residence.
Following the somber service, Kareem’s father, Belal Badawi, stopped to talk to The Submit about his beloved son’s mindless loss of life.
The grief-stricken dad mentioned his son traveled greater than an hour away from residence to New Orleans to ring within the new yr with 15 buddies within the metropolis famend for its nightlife.
“He thought it’s a giant metropolis and New Orleans would have events … He thought it might be a good suggestion, and there could be a much bigger celebration than Baton Rouge,” Belal recalled.
“The following day was the Sugar Bowl and he loves sports activities so he thought New Orleans was the place to be for New Yr’s Eve. The New Yr’s Eve isn’t what he anticipated or deliberate for and sadly he obtained killed.”
on New Yr’s Day. Obtained by NY Submit
The daddy additionally revealed the heartbreaking closing textual content messages he exchanged with Kareem.
“From New Orleans, he despatched me a Glad New Yr textual content at midnight,” Belal informed The Submit. “I texted him ‘Glad New Yr – dad.’ That was the final message between me and him. Like three hours later he obtained killed.”
Imam Emad Nofal, chairman of the Islamic Heart Baton Rogue, addressed the congregation and denounced the fear assault by which 13 different individuals had been killed by Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
“We’re individuals of peace. I don’t care who has achieved this. He’s a terrorist and he’s an individual who doesn’t belong to Islam, doesn’t perceive Islam. Has nothing to do with us,” Emad Nofal mentioned.
“As you possibly can see, we’re the victims right here,” he mirrored.
Belal didn’t study in regards to the Bourbon Road assault till he turned on the information the morning after wishing his son a Glad New Yr’s.
Kareem’s involved mother and father tracked his cellphone and noticed that the cellphone’s location was Canal and Bourbon Road.
They then obtained some info from Kareem’s 5 buddies who had been all staying at an condominium close to Bourbon Road.
“After midnight, round 2 a.m., all of them went residence. Round 2:45 a.m., Kareem and Parker determined to go yet another time outdoors. The opposite three determined to remain,” Belal informed The Submit.
Parker was additionally injured within the rampage and is presently within the hospital.
“As a matter of truth, I heard when he heard Kareem handed away he freaked out and a number of the stitches got here out as a result of he obtained so loopy,” Belal mentioned.
Belal lamented that his son, who “simply cherished life” and “touched so many individuals’s lives” was killed in a heartless act achieved within the identify of faith.
Kareem attended the College of Alabama on an engineering scholarship and was a member of the fraternity Sigma Chi. A number of of his classmates and fraternity brothers attended the funeral in Baton Rouge.
“They got here from Alabama right this moment simply to say goodbye. That tells you the way beautiful and the way good he was. As a household we’re going to miss him quite a bit,” Belal mentioned.
“He spent all his life loving individuals and socializing with buddies and all that He’s a stunning boy.” the grieving father mentioned.
“Killing harmless individuals isn’t going to get you wherever. What message are you going to ship? These harmless individuals haven’t harmed anyone. They went there to celebration and have fun the New Yr and he simply comes and kills all of them,” he mentioned of the terrorist.
Household buddies informed The Submit they continue to be in shock and are struggling to come back to grips with the tragic occasion.
“It’s a lot of a tragedy,” mentioned 62-year-old Kamal Alabasha, Belal’s greatest buddy.
“This child obtained snatched by evil, and he claims to be a human being however he’s not,” he mentioned in reference to the terrorist.
Supply hyperlink
