One Week

Anvil staff member faces struggle of losing a loved one during a global pandemic By Giselle Tabibi, Reporter

I think about these small but precious moments a lot. I didn’t realize our only time together would be so short. After ten days, we said our goodbyes and boarded our plane back to Houston. One week after our return, my family and I were relaxing in our rooms; it was one of those lazy days when you lay inside all day binging movies, not worrying about anything. I headed downstairs to get a snack when my mom got a call. The call. I immediately knew something was wrong. Her expression went dark, her mouth fell open and her eyes began to well with tears. I could already piece it together. Someone had died. I could not tell who or how, but I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally got off the phone and told me what had happened. Milad had died in his dorm room. It did not make any sense. He was young and healthy. He was The last picture of Milad with my mom and aunt while water raft- perfectly fine. I could not understand how someone could be here one ing over the Fourth of July weekend. Photo by Giselle Tabibi. day and gone the next. It had only been one week since I saw him in California, since I said IT HAD BEEN one week. One week since we had last seen him. One “See you soon!” since we drove to get bubble tea and he told me to live week since we had left and were not expecting to go back for at least my life to the fullest, never backing down to my fears: “You shouldn’t another year. One week, and now he was gone forever. have to live the life other people want you to live,” he had said to me. Since Nov. of last year, my mom and I had been planning a trip to “Do what you want, live on the edge.” California to visit my family for my younger cousin’s birthday. After I brushed the words off at the time, not realizing the importance of being exposed on flights and in airports, we spent a few days keeping them until they were painfully relevant. our distance to make sure we would not infect the rest of our family, just in case we had COVID-19. The rest of our time was spent visiting famous ” You shouldn’t When my mom gathered her senses, she was on her laptop finding the next flight to San Francisco. I couldn’t go with her due to safety complications and was forced to cope from afar. In this time, I attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and the have to live thought back to my favorite memories with him; the Mystery Spot. My older cousin, Milad, didn’t go out with us, instead opting to stay home and the life other times when we would just sit in each others’ company happily playing iMessage games or driving to get do online college work. During the Fourth of July weekend, we people want food and catching up on life. I wanted to be in San Fransisco for my cousins, decided to go water rafting, a strange endeavor for my unathletic family. It was exciting to have you to live. Do aunts and uncles, but it was not possible. I called my mom every day for the two weeks she was gone, everyone there, including Milad, because we had not hung out a lot since we arrived. I was what you want, hearing a combination of the same things every time: “You wouldn’t want to be here.” “It’s not fun.” “We looking forward to it. We made the long drive live on visited him today.” up to the river, bright and early, stopping for snacks and coffee along the way. At every pit stop, we laughed and goofed around, making the edge. ” Even though it was difficult for me to sit back and watch from the sidelines, I tried my best to support everyone from afar. I knew it was hard on my mom the long drive fun. when she went back because she had to be the rock When we arrived and got out onto the water, Milad took the for everyone. Her courage motivated me to stay strong while she initiative. He made sure to steer us in the right direction and ensured was gone. our safety when we hit bumpy currents. Even after rowing and guiding Through this loss, my outlook on life has changed for the better. My us the whole way down the river and looking out for all of us, he still cousin’s life - and death - has inspired me to take more chances and stop had the energy to jump in the water and splash around when it became holding myself back. While I grieve for my cousin, I celebrate his life unbearably hot. and love every day.