S tatesman L i n c o l n
H i g h
S i o u x Fa l l s , S D
October 23, 2015
S c h o o l
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” -Abraham Lincoln
Vol. 50, No. 1
Kabela Eaya: Forever remembered by LHS LHS athlete’s death comes as a shock to the student body
BY SWETHA SARAVANAN AND SYDNEY SWEETER One less Patriot in the halls, one more empty space in our hearts, one legacy to be remembered. This summer, an LHS student tragically passed away from injuries sustained from a longboarding accident. On August 17, 2015 Kabela Eaya’s heartbroken parents took their beloved son off of life support. The loss is still felt by loved ones and those who knew him. Three years ago
a young Sudanese boy arrived in America, a country he was unfamiliar with. He did not know the details of his family or even what his own step-mother looked like. When he first saw his step-mother, they both exchanged hugs and smiles, happy to finally be together. “It was the happiest day of our lives,” said Helena Okello, his step-mother. “This boy, if he came into your house, you would welcome him
PHOTO
Okello. pmother, Helena
nds with his ste
Kabela Eaya sta
because of his personality. He was the kind of boy who would do something right away when you asked him. He didn’t eat before his brothers were fed. He got up in the morning with the baby so I could rest. Kabela had a very, very loving heart and he was very close with his siblings.” “We played games and we played soccer in the park,” said Wani Okene, Eaya’s father. “Sometimes we had barbeques in our garage. He was a nice kid. Kabela was a listener, quiet, respectful and a good person. He took care of his family.” His passing impacted not only his parents but his siblings as well. Eaya’s youngest brother, at the age of three-years-old, could not help but question what happened to his older brother. Even though his parents never offered him a clearcut answer, his sister explained that Eaya is in heaven. “My three-year-old asked me why I was crying when I told him that Kabela was in heaven,” said Okello. “Then he told me that I shouldn’t be sad because Kabela was his and that he will be Kabela.” Eaya had been longboarding with his friends outside of the city when he became a victim of a tragic accident. Six days later, Eaya was taken off life support. Longboarding was his passion, but the absence of O a helmet made too much of ELL OK ENA PROVIDED BY HEL
a difference that day. Around 2:30 p.m. Wani Okene, Eaya’s father called to find out where his son was. Nobody picked up. A while later, his phone rang and he answered a call that forever changed his life. On the other end was one of Eaya’s friends informing him that his son had been in a longboarding accident and was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance. Eaya was taken to the emergency room where the doctors performed brain surgery and concluded that half of his brain was dead forty-five minutes later. After several tests, the doctors told Eaya’s family that only a small part of his brain was still functioning and that they would try their best and that the rest remained in God’s hands. “In the hospital bed, I was asking God for a second chance with my son. I really, really miss him so much, every day of my life. Nobody can replace his spot in my heart. My heart is broken. I will always carry on his legacy,” said Okello. “Every day is not the same. Every day he is with me.” Every year thousands of people are injured from the lack of helmet safety. According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 500,000 trips to the emergency room were caused by the failure to wear a helmet. Over 900 cyclists were killed. The simple action of wearing a helmet can prevent much more in the long run. “Longboarding was Kabela’s passion. When I asked him to wear his helmet, he would look at me
and say that he was not a little kid,” said Okello. “Every time I see a kid without a helmet, I want to tell them that they need to wear one. A message to parents: if your child is riding a longboard or even a bike, always make your child wear a helmet. I never want a parent to go through this.” In his time at Lincoln, Eaya was more than just a student. He was an athlete, employee at Wendy’s, and a friend. As his senior year approaches, his family will deal with the reality that they will not be able to see their son receive a diploma. “He loved his job. Kabela would take his longboard with him,” said Okello. “I miss taking him to work everyday. I wanted to see him graduate. I don’t know what I will do when graduation comes, because I will be so sad. I’m so proud of him for what he left behind.” Coping with Eaya’s death has not been easy for friends and family, but they are grateful for all of the support they have received. The past two months were tough, but would have been harder if not for the thoughts and prayers of many around them. “I want to thank all of you- the teachers, principals, students for helping him and making him a better student at Lincoln High School,” said Okello. “Thank you for being there through all these difficult times. He left a big memory, and nobody will forget him. I love you, my son. And I will think about you every day, until I see you again.”