Hundreds come out to honor victim at UC Davis

By Monica Stark Enterprise staff writer

Hundreds of friends, family, and UC Davis community members remembered the life of UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm on Friday afternoon at a public memorial held on campus at the International Center.

Abou Najm was born to Majdi Abou Najm and Nadine Yehya in Lebanon.

Before moving to the US in 2018, he attended International College in Beirut, Lebanon. He joined Davis Senior High School and graduated with high honors before getting accepted to UC Davis. Karim was six weeks away from graduating with honors with a bachelor’s in computer science. While in college, he was also a full-time software engineer and interned at multiple companies.

Abou Najm was working on a program that would help the hearing impaired in noisy environments. UCD and Abou Najm’s family have honored him by setting up a scholarship in his memory. While the initial goal was $50,000, $87,000 had been raised from 731 donors by Friday afternoon.

Known as a compassionate, smart, and caring young man, Abou Najm was a son, brother and grandson.

Family friend Sara Alayli set the stage for Abou Najm’s parents by asking those who have known Abou Najm personally to hold up their cell phones with the flashlights on. “Parents, please look around,” Alayli said. As she asked similar questions, hands raised to the sky, ending with the statement, “If you're inspired by what Karim has done in his legacy, and everything that you've heard of him in the past sweet and past 20 years.”

“Now look around,” she said, “In one way or another, he has touched all of it.”

Friday

Speakers cited his accomplishments. He took pride in helping others from lessons he learned through his studies and work. He mentored undergraduate computer science students and onboarded student researchers to Miller Lab at UC Davis. He always gave a shoutout to his colleagues and supported them in finding opportunities on campus and beyond.

Abou Najm’s father, Majdi Abou Najm, regretted not telling his son how much he loved him. “One of my biggest regrets is that we did not express our feelings enough. I'm stuck in a loop staring every time I saw Karim in the last two weeks. Forgive me, Karim: Why I said ‘I love you many times to you in my mind, I did not say it out loud to you.’”

Majdi Abou Najm had those in attendance at the memorial take out their phones and call their loved ones to tell them they loved them. “Take it from that devastated father; don't take love for granted.”

Speaking directly to the family, UCD Chancellor Gary S. May stated that nothing can ease the pain

See HONOR, Page A5

Celebrate Davis will go on

The arrest Thursday of a suspect in the recent stabbings in Davis means Celebrate Davis will go on as originally planned after all.

The chamber had announced some changes earlier this week aimed at protecting vendors and participants while a suspect was still at large. Those included increased security and an earlier ending — before dark.

But now the event will proceed on Friday, May 12, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. in Community Park as it has in the past.

“We are grateful about the recent news concerning the arrest of a suspect,” the chamber posted on social media.

“Special thanks to the Davis Police Department for their tireless work, other law enforcement personnel who assisted and residents who provided tips that led to this arrest. Your community thanks you.”

Based on this news, the chamber announced, “Celebrate Davis will go forward as planned. The safety of our attendees and vendors continues to be our top priority. As is our usual custom, Davis police officers will attend the entire event and be visible.”

Celebrate Davis is a community gathering every year that features food and drink vendors, business booths, live music, bounce houses and more, capped off with evening fireworks.