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BULLETIN BOARD LOG
If you wish to add your comments on Samir's website please do so below.
LOG ENTRIES
Subject: Remembering Samir
Category: Comment
From: Chris Abbyad
I remember Samir as a happy generous person. For example, there was a time when a group of us tried to form a children's dance troupe. Samir never hesitated to offer Marakesh as a place to practice. So, on Sunday afternoons parents would arrive at the restaurant with their kids. Music blaring and feet stomping, Abir would lead us in the dance steps. And in the background was Samir, smiling, encouraging us, and very pleased with everything. There were many other times when he would greet us and offer refreshments as we gathered in the restaurant for one meeting or another. He loved people and made us all feel welcomed. I shall miss his enthusiastic spirit and generous heart.
Subject: This Picture and what it meant to Samir
Category: Comment
From: Nidal Rabah
When we sat that night,at our neighborhood's Starbucks, as we did almost every night to drink, my late and your Americano (tripple shot, with half a packate of splinda sugar and a little sip of half n half) and smoked our cigars, you told me that, the whole family is meeting at Dr. Eleia's house for a Saadeh family photo take, you explaned to me how nice it felt, to have such a nice gathering, for such a simple and meaningfull ocassion, It was so exciting for Samir, to get dressed nicely, take his family and go join his, extended family for a photo take,especialy that his parents were here, to capture the momment, of that nice and faithfull night. It never have crossed my mind, that the reason I'll ever see this little cut-off of a your face out of that Photo is your death,is the fact that you're not arround any more. The so many little things that, you've left behind, the memories of our daily life, those little sits at coffee shops at Marakesh, late at night in your back yard in your garage, at Saru's soccer games, the many places that we went and looked at potential new location for a new restaurant, the times we spent just driving around when you always asked me: (Shu Nidal Laish saket? I7ki "say something").I missed you coming late to our meetings, your laughs when i told a jock or emetated some one That's what I miss the most, I miss my dear and loving friend , I miss your daily phone calls, your care and generacity, I miss your face, your jokes, your love to your family, your little storys like the one about the family photo, that photo that ended up at your berial service. You left us with no explanation into why such a nice (Ammu) has to die, why can't he come back to life it's something that I can't explane to my kids nore that I can exlane to my self. All I know is that You're gone, and that our lives have changed for ever.
Subject: My Good Friend
Category: Tribute
From: Hatem Natsheh
Rest In Peace my friend.
Subject: My best uncle
Category: Tribute
From: Ghadeer
Even when you are gone, you are still in my heart forever. You are still the best uncle and father I have ever seen. Will love you forever. Ghadeer
Subject: One more example of Samir's effect on people's lives
Category: Tribute
From:
Currently Listening One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers see related funerals i was about 6 or 7 when i remember i first saw a dead body. it was one of my uncles and i was afraid to go up to the casket.... dad held my hand and he took me up to see my dead uncle. he looked like he was sleeping. just yesterday and the day before and a few days before that, i have had to play at funeral services. the one from saturday, there was no casket.... just an urn holding the ashes. last week i got a call from my brother ray that a close friend of mine past away. it was shocking and sad news for all of us who knew him. samir and i were around the same age. all of us who got to know him knows of his kind and loving ways. he had the biggest heart for all of us who played music in austin. he opened his place for us so we could share our music with our community. his funeral was a week ago today. my brothers ray and ted attended the service. ray told me that the service was held in an orthodox chapel not too far from his restaurant downtown austin where we all met and got to know him. samir made me feel like i was a very special person. at the time when i was struggling with drug addiction and depression and everything that accompanied my bad behaviour, samir was a Godsend. samir spent time with me to listen to my thoughts, my maniacally charged visions, my struggles in everyday life. this he did as he joyfully ran his restaurant in downtown austin. he would feed me, encourage me, make me laugh, make me hope, made me believe in myself and the most important thing about life. samir leaving this earth makes me sad that i never got thank him for all he has done for me and friends and family. when i told him i was leaving austin, he was very upset. he offered a place for me to live just so i could stay in austin. i went to san antonio to live in our old family home which was up for sale. during those early days of recovery, my family did not trust me. i could not be trusted. i often called samir to talk to him. one time his family was going to san marcos which is halfway between austin and san antonio. he called me and asked me if i could drive there so i could see everyone, his wife and children. it would be the last time i would see him.... until i am free from this life and join all who since left. many things have changed in my life since those days in austin. my memory of samir is of love and healing and joy.
