A year ago on this day, Aalia Mahomed, a second-year King’s student, passed away after being struck by a van just south of Bush House. Today, her family, friends and others gathered at that spot to honour her memory.
Before her death, Aalia had wanted to take her brother, Zain, to Japan to see the cherry blossom trees. The cherry blossom we gathered around, planted in her memory, is a poignant reminder of a life full of ambition that never was.
For many King’s students, Aalia’s death feels particularly visceral. On the day of the event, all three victims were students going about their day-to-day life, and it very well could have been any one of us sitting in front of those gates that day.
If anything, that makes her death something all the more important to remember. The large congregation of both students and staff made it evident that many feel deeply touched by this event.
The Rev’d Tim Ditchfield, our College Chaplain, began the memorial with a reflection on Aalia’s life and Muslim Chaplain Romana Kazmi closed it with a prayer, before a minute of silence.
The mood was bittersweet. Christopher Jackson, the driver of the van, was sentenced just two weeks ago to eight years in prison for causing the death of Aalia and seriously injuring two other King’s students on Tuesday, 8 March last year.
Yet, even with the more sorrowful background of today’s anniversary, the laughs and friendly conversations of all present discussing Aalia’s memory stood out. Her friends wore shirts reading ‘Be More Aalia’.
Clustered around the cherry blossom, it’s fitting that, rather than the tragic circumstances of a year ago, the theme here is remembering Aalia’s life: her ambition and the joy she brought others.
That joy will be remembered by all, it seems, for many years to come.
All of us at Roar extend our sincere condolences to Aalia’s family and to everyone affected by her passing.
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