That was what years that his name is all day.
That's Odai.
And what I have is a speech that we translated
in English and I will be reciting right now.
Family and friends, I stand before you today with a
heavy heart,
one that's weighed down on me,
down by the immense grief of losing my dear,
Oh dear.
Your presence here this morning offers comfort and support during
this very difficult time,
and I thank you from the bottom of my heart
for being here to remember and honor his life.
My son was a remarkable child.
He was filled with dreams and aspirations.
He loved basketball, soccer and Legos.
He carried the bright light of hope wherever he went
and was always smiling.
But that light was tragically taken from us far too
soon.
His life was cut short by an act of Islamophobia
that has left us all stunned and heartbroken.
In the midst of our grief,
I want to make something clear.
We will not rest until justice is served for my
son.
We will work tirelessly with law enforcement to ensure that
Joseph Zubaugh is held responsible to the maximum amount under
the law for his horrific act.
What dear deserves nothing less than that we owe it
to him to seek this justice?
However, I also want to take a moment to address
a larger issue that we cannot ignore.
My son was a victim not only of violence but
also of prejudice and hatred.
He was targeted because of his faith,
because he was Muslim, and that is something we must
confront as a society.
Islamophobia and hatred toward Muslims and Palestinian has no place
in our community.
We must stand together Muslims and non-Muslims and condemn all
forms of hatred,
hatred and discrimination. My son's memory will serve as a
reminder that we must keep working to create a more
inclusive society.
Let his life inspire us to reject bigotry and to
embrace the diversity that makes our nation so beautiful.