I think of Joosep often, and pray that you all find comfort in each other's support.
One of my all time favorite memories of Jossep is of course Spain!!! He was a protector, yet had this kindness about him that was so serene. It's as if you could see this "blanket of love" just wrapping his family and those around him. Especially Tiia, you could see this connection of souls, as if they were one. He's with you all in the most powerful sense!

We love you all,
The Pereira Family

❤️
Åsa perega Stockholmis

Dear Robert, Tiia, and family,
It seems that Joosep was known by so many for his beautiful, big smile...and his beautiful huge heart.  Thinking back to both times I saw Joosep, when he was still a baby, that's indeed how I remember him.  
I still can't imagine the loss you've experienced...I think about you all, so often, hoping for your well-being.
Steve Miron, Catskills, NY

It's so very hard to believe that a year has gone by.  You are truly missed by all that your life touched.  
RIP Sweet Joosep
Musi, Musi

I have known Joosep's father for many years, going back to the early '90s when we were teaching in China. Then he went on to another career and I did not see him and his family for many years, until about 4 years ago, when I flew up to Montreal, Canada to see our mutual friend Peter Siroishka who had invited me up for a week at his family's island retreat in a lake up north of the city. Then, as chance would have it, who should show up but Joosep's long-lost father with his two (unknown-to-me) large boys, Joosep and his brother, in tow. It was an amazing sort-of coincidence and we had a really lovely week. One day, we got the brilliant idea of trying to swim across the lake, about a mile, or at least a part of it. I insisted that Joosep pilot the family's beat-up barge alongside Robert and me (by far the elder) in case I happened to slip beneath the waves. No worry, Joosep commandeered the vessel admirably on the incredibly boring voyage, That evening the two boys, Robert, Peter, Peter's brother, and I had a splendid time sitting around a fire on the island next to the water and we had an excellent week, lazing around and exploring the island. Then Robert and the two boys (Joosep driving, if I'm not mistaken) drove me back to the Montreal airport. I first got the news of Joosep from Peter last year, and I was incredibly shocked. It simply made no sense and I know that Peter and I were extremely disturbed and puzzled. There was really nothing that could be said, I thought. I served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War and have been around the world and seen many people leave us, but this one time was inexplicable and I still pray for Joosep's family,

Another competitive nature story is the beginning of playing a game called spikeball. Spikeball is a game with a net held above ground by post, and played with a small rubber ball. The objective of this game is to work as a team, set the ball up well, and confuse the other team. For our first game ever we were on opposing sides, and Joosep enjoyed to slam the ball on the net sending it flying in random directions, this in turn made me have to run a long ways to track down. When you make a succesful track down, you rely on your teammate to get it, but my teammate Calvin couldn't get the job done. He kept slamming the ball and making me run in all directions trying to track it down. Eventually we lost the game and he gave me a little smirk which I took to heart, and challenged him to a 1 vs 1 determined to wipe that smirk off his face. Through this game he continued the same strategy even putting in some fake slams and confusing me. This game got very intense and there was probably sand in every part of my clothing, since you play at the beach. I won once and he got me a couple times, but when we played again we just decided to play on the same team to reduce my heartache, and keep me from running all over the place. He was better as a teammate that an opponent, and that's how I saw him in life as my teammate. Rest easy buddy I'm gonna miss getting heated about losing against you or with you, that competitive nature will never burn dry because of our great times. 

Quite frequently during this last year Joosep would come over to my apartment to play video games. At my apartment I had a 55 inch TV, which was perfect to get entangled in video games on our many late nights. He would come over around 6:00 p.m., and we would be stuck playing video games until about 12:00 p.m. until I had to call it quits for class tomorrow. Our favorite game to play was called rocket league. Me and Joosep are very competitive people, just in nature, and this game was basically soccer but with cars and the objective was to score goals just like in regular soccer. We would play this game mode that was 2 vs 2 and me and him would be on a team together. We started out in a very low player level, and you have to work your way up through different rankings of random opponents, and often it gets harder. We starting to think we were pretty good at the game until we had a halt at Gold Division, and couldn't advance. Being in Gold Division was good but not great, and we only wanted greatness in this video game. This struggle of trying to advance to the next division continued for 7 months, and as you could imagine we were quite irritated with our playing. If I made a bad play or let a goal go in, he would rip into me, and if he made a bad play i would "joke" about how bad he was. This video game became less of a game and more of a definition of how we weren't gonna settle for just being Gold Division. Through struggle and adversity, the competitive nature of us took over, and we made it to the next division. Riding high off this accomplishment we played another game and got destroyed and sent back down a division. We both tasted greatness but it wasn't something we were ever able to reach again, and this made us dislike the game, as competitive men we just called the game rigged and stopped playing. This was how we both were striving to be better, and he was my favorite person to sit down with and struggle through either homework, or even a dumb video game. I'm gonna miss these times, and miss having that competitive nature with my best friend.

I think my favorite Joosep story was the first time we went to Pffeifer. This was at the start of quarantine and we were the only two people left in the apartment. So, we decided to go on an adventure to a beach that neither of us had been to before. The car ride down was filled with laughs and good music. When we arrived the beach was completely empty. It was beautiful. I surfed for a little bit while he stood watch. I remember just getting slammed, the waves were pretty big. I took comfort tho knowing that my best friend was watching. I still take comfort in that and still feel him watching whenever I paddle out. After the session we explored the woods, wadded through tide pools, and climbed rocks. It was such a magical day and I’m so happy to have shared that with him. Whenever I start to spin out about this whole situation I think about that day and the many amazing things we did together. I’m glad I have those memories to hold on to

The memory that makes me laugh when I think of Joosep was back in Fall 2018.

I was his residential advisor for his first year at college. In short terms, he lived in my hall and I was everyone’s big sister that watches out for them, deals with roommate conflicts, maintenance, and conduct. 

At the beginning of the semester, the residents in my hall has to attend a mandatory floor meeting. During that meeting, I would discuss with them about the rules and regulations in living in the dorms such as no smoking and drinking, etc. Everyone even signed a contract stating they will obliged by it if not, they will be written up and speak to conduct.

Fast-forward a couple weeks later, I’m walking to the Promontory Apartments (where the upper class-men lives) at night with my friends. I can see ahead of me like 200 feet that it was Yoosep and his friend with a cooler and drinks in their hands. They noticed me as well and I can tell they got scared because they wouldn’t expect to see their RA this late at night there. I shouted “hi guys!” to them and all of a sudden they just start chugging the rest of the drink in their hands because they didn’t want to get caught. LOL They tried their hardest to hide their cans but it didn’t work. As I approach them, their voice got so shaky and they were so nervous that they were going to get written up. I informed them that I don’t mind that they’re drinking cause after all, it’s a Saturday night and they’re college students! As long as it wasn’t in the dorm and they’re being responsible, that’s all that matters. The relief and smiles on their faces was so pure! They even offered me a can LOL 

This memory always makes me laugh because of how much they panicked and tried their hardest to hide the cans but they were in T-shirts and shorts LOL 

We used to have a balcony in our house at East campus. He and I would always make tea (usually the fruitier flavors his parents and my parents would send us from Sri lanka). We would take the tea and climb up onto our roof from the balcony. We'd both just listen to music and watch the sunset and watch the stars. We were both very similar, we didn't even need to talk to communicate or have a good time. He was the first person I had met who understood me as well as he did. He was the coolest person and the kindest. He always checked up on others.  Thank you for the memories, thank you for teaching me everything that you did. I love you brother, I will always miss you. The house doesn't feel like home with you gone.