Eulogy

By: Arpine Lusikyan
arpine.lusikyan.53@csun.edu

I ask myself, why do people love to hate, and hate to love? Why can’t we just accept what we have and who we are? Why do we have to witness hatred and death? Why should a mother bury her child? I ask myself, but I don’t know.

April 12, 2009 was Easter Sunday, the holiest and most celebrated holiday in the Christian religion, the Armenian religion, my religion; we celebrate this day in honor of Jesus and the journey of his soul to heaven. It is a day of family, friends, religion, and most importantly, happiness.

Every year on this day, our entire family gathers and celebrates, as we did this year. All the formalities took place as planned, all family members were in attendance, but one thing was missing from within me, happiness. I wasn’t happy; instead I was angry, I was sad, and I was in mourning.

April 12, on Easter Sunday, I found out that Hayk Oganyan was murdered. He was attending a birthday and graduation party and briefly left the house to get something from his car when three heartless, evil, and cowardly men approached him and attempted to rob him. They stabbed him and killed him in cold blood. Not only did they rob Hayk of his life, but they robbed his family of happiness, his friends of smiles, and in return gave all the people who loved Hayk grief for the rest of their lives.

Hayk was a 19 year-old Armenian boy; he would turn 20 on April 16, just four days after he was murdered. I had only met Hayk twice, had exchanged a few words, but were never close friends. Today, I mourn his death. His smile and his lively eyes left an impact on me, something I will never forget in my life and I am saddened to say that no one will ever see that beautiful smile ever again.

I sat for hours trying to make sense of this tragedy. I cried, and cried, and cried. How can people have it in their hearts to kill? Are they not children of parents as Hayk was his mother’s son? Do they not have an ounce of compassion in their soul to save a life? Why do they have to hate? I suppose I’ll never find answers to these questions or even understand the motives of those three men. I’ll never understand why these men killed Hayk. But I know I can only understand one thing. I can understand the thousands of people who are crying today, who are mourning Hayk’s loss and who, like me, are searching for answers. I don’t think anyone can even begin to understand the pain and anguish that Hayk’s family is suffering. You know the pain you feel? Well, multiply it by a million, that might get you close to what his family is going through, but I suppose it’s even more than that.

I am dreading to attend Hayk’s funeral. I really want to be there to pay my respects and say goodbye, but just the thought of seeing his mother’s tears, her trying to say her final goodbye, her burying his son… I don’t think I can bear to see that. I can only imagine it. Hundreds of people: parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, and strangers dressed in black circling Hayk’s grave, crying, bowing their heads to a boy who impacted their lives. As you may have noticed, I mentioned strangers. I know that many people who didn’t even know Hayk will attend his funeral because he is a young Armenian and because his story, in some way, has touched the lives of strangers. Yes, a young Armenian and yet another one is gone, yet another tragic tale.

To everyone mourning Hayk’s death, to all those who knew him and loved him, and to those who had never met Hayk but are touched by this tragedy… hang in there. Deal with the pain in your own way. If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to express your emotions by writing, then write it down. If you want to smile, then smile and remember the good memories. But, in whichever way you choose to mourn, make sure you always keep Hayk alive in your memories. I might have only met him twice, but he has truly touched my life. God give his family patience and the strength to survive this unforeseen tragedy.

We have lost a treasure on earth, but heaven has gained an angel. Yes, Hayk is truly an angel. May the journey of his soul to heaven be guided by God. Astvats hokit lusavorvi, Hayk jan. You will be missed. We love you. Rest In Peace.