In the first 24 hours after 11:00pm on June 23rd, Khalil's dad and I were out of our minds with shock and pain.

We will never know precisely why the incident occured, or why Khalil's life was cut short. But we do know some truths which can never be changed or erased. Khalil was a happy child. He had the most brilliantl smile, the kindest heart. He was so smart and such a natural athlete. He was a great actor, pretty good at modeling, and gifted in many aspects. We loved him so much and he knew it. He loved his family and friends so much as well.

Since that fateful night I keep replaying his last few days in my mind. Tueday, Khalil went hiking on Lantau with his friends. Amazingly, he had a great time despite the weather.  We had a beautiful Japanese dinner (his favorite style food) on Wednesday night at home. We laughed after dinner about the German homework. He wrote a whole novel out of four pictures. I told him I was proud of him and his dad will be to (we think it's important for our children to know their roots, cultures and languages.) It was amazingly well written for someone whose first language isn't German, and he had to learn 3 other languages at the same time as well.  We had made plans for tomorrow(Thursday). The both of us going to his school to get his report card. Before we went in his classroom, he told me "you and dad will be so dissapointed." To me, despite what grades they get, I love my children and I am proud of my children. Maybe he just didn't understand. I told him that I am not disappointed and that everything is going to be ok. But it didn't cheer him up. We went back to our home in Discovery Bay(which was our getaway home in Hong Kong), he went to his youngest brother and gave him a kiss (first thing he does when he gets home). He went straight to Rajan's room to chat and plan for tomorrow; he didn't eat much during dinner. After he took a shower, he let me kiss him goodnight (which doesn't happen every night now that he is all grown.) Then he went to bed early.

The police subsequently handed us back a note found in Khalil's room. On the note it says "I'm sorry to everyone I've let down. I love you all. Goodnight everyone. I'll see you on the other side. I'm sorry." I felt so bad. I couldn't imagine how frustrated he felt.

I have some regrets, but so many more instances of sheer happiness with Khalil and our family, so many moments where I have absolutely no regrets. For years, I worked and travel too much, but since my eldest son was born, I had stopped traveling. I gave up my job to spend time for my children and raise them. I regret I didn't raise Khalil strong enough. I regret not being able to comfort him when he needed it. I regret not making it to most of his games. But his dad and I did make it to his lacrosse finals in Atlanta (it was his last lacrosse game); I thank God for that. I thank God for letting me raise a gentleman with the kindest heart. I also thank Khalil for making us feel proud, grateful, and happy through his 16  years on Earth.

In closing, I just want to say to Khalil's brothers, cousins and friends, don't let this take away from the happy days you shared with Khalil. In fact, be doubly happy from now on, so that you can be happy for yourself and you can be happy on behalf of Khalil. Live a beautiful life on his behalf. He'd be happier to see that from heaven. I'd like to think he's an angel now looking down on us; I think he'd make a good angel.

To Khalil's Dad: I promise to think happy thoughts everyday.

To Khalil's brothers: Thank you for being such good brothers and sons. Khalil loved you so much. Dad and I love you so much too.

To Khalil: Mommy loves you, always and forever.

Never in a million years did I think I would have to arrange my son's funeral. The days between June 23, 2016 - July 6th, 2016 has been the saddest and hardest days of of our lives.
We have cried and cried -- and then we cried some more.

"When it hurts to look back and you are afraid to look forward, look beside you, there will be people who love you."

This quotation is from Khalil's very loving maternal grandmother, I think it accurately describes how we are feeling--hurt and scared. In these difficult times, Masako, Rajan, Harinder, Faizan and I are fortunate that we could look beside us and find our family and friends. Many of you have reached out to offer help in any way, no matter how big or how small. And I know many more of you wanted to to reach out, but were unsure of how to do so.

In particular, I want to thank:

- our relatives and friends who have dropped everything to be with us in our hour in need.

-Stanley Mosque

-Khalil's teachers

-Khalil's friends

We are grateful and humbled for everything you have done for us.

Khalil passed away on Thursday night. We will never know what really happened on that night. There will never be an explanation for why things happened the way they did.

In this sea of uncertainty, we cling on to these firm facts, which are undeniable and unequivocal.

The first is Khalil was an amazing and beautiful child who has touched so many people's lives and brought joy to all who knew him. He was kind, caring, smart, athlectic, friendly, competitive and ambitious. He was just a good kid all around--the kind of kid whom every parent would want.

We are so blessed to have been able to spend 16 years with him. We have so many wonderful memories of him from all the things we have done together. In the interest of time, I will only share a few stories.

I remember at a Mosque event 2 years ago, we played a game called "Two Truths and One Lie". The other people had to guess which statements were truths and which one was a lie. Khalil's 3 statements were: "I love DC/Marvel, I enjoy homeschooling and I want to go to Harvard." The homeschooling statement was a lie because he said "it was depressing." Everyone was laughing when he said he wanted to go to Harvard, but I believe he had the potential to get into Harvard.

He was fearless and willing to talk to anyone. As many of you know, he stood up for anything that he believed wasn't right. A few years ago, we were in a elevator in Hong Kong, a few local Chinese were in the same elevator as us and they were being a little racist towards our family, Khalil politely asked them to respect us and told them about our culture and that there shouldn't be any boundaries between people no matter what sexuality, religion or race. Whereas most of us would be to timid to speak up.

He loved a challenge. About a year ago, I teased my sons that I can still run faster than them. Khalil was the only one who wanted to challenge me, which surprised me because he had occasional asthma and it was fall season. When we first moved to Hong Kong 7 years ago, he couldn't run a lap without stopping. Anyway, we decided to use the one-mile event because that was his PE class event. I ran a 6:00 minute mile on the treadmill, thinking there was no way he can beat that. Then Khalil ran a 5:38 minute mile. After that, I gave up--he had beaten me.

Khalil wanted grow up so fast. Every year after returning from summer, people would comment that he sprouted taller. He was over 6 feet when he was 13 and about 2 months ago, he was playing basketball with his brother Harinder, he could touch the basketball rim without tiptoeing. But he was still a kid at heart and he would always be our baby son.

Another fact is that we loved him with all our hearts and would do anything for him. I went to Boston for an important bussiness meeting and was ready to rise my bussiness to another level, but I had to go back to Hong Kong. As I looked at my son's lifeless body before it gets buried, I knew I wouldn't regret seeing that beautiful face for the last time in person, and I gladly traded my bussiness to see him on his last day before getting buried. I would do anything to be with him again, as would my wife, as would his brothers, and as any parent who has a child that is no longer with them would.

The last fact is Khalil loved us. As I look at the pictures from our 16 years together, the one constant is that he had a beautiful smile. One of our friends who viewed the picture slides at the wake remark that he had the greatest smile quotient. He was such a happy kid and we have so many happy memories together.

Now, I want to address to specific people:

To my wife: The trajectory of our lives has forever been changed. Our future is now uncertain. Khalil's death leaves an ache in our hearts and a hole in our lives. There will be moments that we will suddenly be overcome with sadness and start crying for seemingly no good reason. Know that I will always be here with you at every step of the way. Also know that you're the best mother. You were always there to look out for his asthma, always there for his homework, always there for him to talk to. Always. Khalil loved you so much.

To my sons: Don't let Khalil's death change the trajectory of your lives. Remember Khalil, but live a full life and be happy. Don't ever be guilty of having a good time. Also know that Mom and I love you and would also gladly sacrifice our lives for yours. We are so proud of all three of you.

Rajan, he looked up to you and wanted to be just like you. You were the only one who could give him crap and make him do things at the same time. When I tried to get him to work out and study, he would usually turn me down. But you wouldn't take no for an answer, and he would actually listen to you.

Harinder, you were Khalil's punching bag and you always enjoyed being his punching bag. You were also his best friend, because you wouldn't tease him like Rajan would. No matter what he did to you, you were always nice to him. You two were insperable. Some people have even asked me who was the older brother. I know you are anxious about attending his school after summer and that people would compare the both of you, and they would. By appearance, craziness, and both academic and phsyical, but don't feel any pressure, just set it as your goal (of course you don't have to live up to what he was. Just be yourself.) There will be a lot of Khalil's friends looking out for you, don't worry. It doesn't matter that he is no longer here physically, continue to look up to him and live his spirit.

Faizan, although you don't understand it now, my hope is that one day you will. Every day we see your innocent and sweet face begging us to let you be with your older brother. Every night we wipe away your tears of sadness and confusion. I can remember your mother and I were begging you to stop crying and no matter how many times we explain, you still don't get it. Maybe you do, we just don't know. Or maybe, you just can't hide your sadness and that broken heart of yours.  I hope you understand how much Khalil and both of your older brothers loves you. You are forever their baby brother. I remember Khalil would always put you to sleep every night. I remember the day you were born, Khalil said he wouldn't tease you or punch you like he does with Harinder, wouldn't fight with you like he does with Rajan. Till the day he passed away he never layed a finger on you. Even if you don't understand all this, we hope you understand that he loved you so much...maybe more than you love him.

To Khalil's relatives: Thank you for taking care of Khalil as he grew up. He was lucky to have so many loving grandparents, uncles & aunts, and cousins.

To Khalil's friends: Thank you for loving Khalil and telling us about your love for him. I know many of you are just as sad as we are. We are comforted by your stories about how Khalil has touched your hearts.

I still can't believe that Khalil is gone--that I won't be able to see him walk through the door, talk to him or hug him. After Khalil passed away, it's easy for my mind to wander down dark corners where I become angry, confused and incredibly sad about Khalil's death.

As hard as it will be to do so, let's use this tragedy to achieve some positive things:

- Let us grow closer as a family and stay strong for each other.

- Let us stregthen our ties with our family and friends.

- Let us live our life with a renewed sense of purpose. Let us be grateful for the 16 great years we had with him.

- Let us celebrate his life and the impact he had on all of us.

In time, I hope we can find the strength to look back and the courage to look forward. 

In closing, my mother reminded me "Love is forever, everything else is ephermal." Khalil's time on earth has passed, as will ours at some point. But we will always remember and love him.

Khalil Teizo Yasin, 16, passed away on the evening of June 23, 2016. He was born on September 16, 1999 in Israel, the second eldest of 4 sons of Saif and Masako. He moved to California not long after he was born and was being homeschooled from kidergarten to 5th grade. He then moved to Hong Kong in 2009 and continued to be homeschooled until 9th grade (high school). At the time of his incident Khalil graduated junior year and was going to be a senior after summer.

Khalil was the youngest and the only freshman in the lacrosse team back then. He always loved hanging out with his friends and helping them in any capacity he could. He was the biggest Marvel/DC comis fan. He was also an avid reader in the Quran.

Khalil was an amazing, happy, kind, athletic, smart, loyal and handsome kid who brought joy and smiles to his friends, teammates, classmate and relatives. He is lovingly remembered by his parents, Saif and Masako; and his brothers, Rajan (freshman at USC), Harinder(who will going to the same school Khalil did) and Faizan (homeschooling). He leaves his paternal and maternal grandmother. He is also survived by many uncles, aunts and cousins around the world. He will be remembered by all who knew him.