August 7, 2007 – Mayaguez, Puerto Rico…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Friends of Antillean Adventist University (AAU) student Hailu Kidanemariam still can't believe they won't see their classmate when school begins this fall. Kidanemariam died July 12, four days after he was struck by lightning while colporteuring in Miami. Kidanemariam, a theology and nursing student from Ethiopia, was 40 years old.
“It is a terrible tragedy that this had to happen,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America who prayed by Kidanemariam's hospital bed at Jackson Memorial Hospital. “After praying for him he seemed to respond by opening his eyes. I thought he might get better.”
“It was a shock when I heard it,” said Brendon Albury, a classmate who was in the Bahamas during the summer. “My friends and I just still can’t believe it happened to him.”
Although shaken by the death of his friend, Albury, who lost his father to cancer last year, said that his faith isn’t shaken.
“There’s always a divine plan,” said Albury. “We don’t know why it happened. All that we can hope for is that his life was in God’s hand.”
“He was always very friendly and determined to serve the Lord,” Albury added. “He knew his goals and worked hard to achieve them. He worked at the library and held other jobs to become a minister.”
A memorial service was held July 14 at Miami Temple Church, where fellow students and AAU representatives gathered to remember Kidanemariam. After the memorial service, Florida Conference officials arranged to have Kidanemariam's body flown home to Ethiopia.
Joe Justiniano, AAU's dean of students, was able to fly to Miami and pray for Kidanemariam by his hospital bed.
“Hailu was an exceptional person,” said Justiniano. “He won the hearts of students at the university and in the community.”
Justiniano said that the university, together with the theology department, will hold a special memorial for Kidanemariam once the school year resumes later this month.
