I am deeply saddened by the number of young children and teens who die each day in car accidents.  My thoughts and sympathies are with the friends and family of the Abdur-Rahim family.     -David

The tragic death of a young man in a two-vehicle crash last week continues to leave those who loved him in shock.

Muhammad-Noor Abdur-Rahim, 13, was en route to classes at the Al-Rashid Islamic Institute early Wednesday when the van his father, Jihad, was driving collided with an oncoming vehicle on County Road 2.

The crash, which is being attributed to icy road conditions, left Muhammad-Noor dead, while his father remains in the Ottawa Hospital. The driver of the second vehicle was taken with minor injuries to Cornwall Community Hospital.

“It was shocking news for everyone, there is much sorrow,” said Mohammad Mazhar Alam, the institute’s principal. “He was a very bright and intelligent student who always had high marks. Very sharp.”

Alam had a “bad feeling” the morning of the accident. The youth’s father worked at the institute, too, and the boy always arrived for class by 6:15 a. m. When Alam saw emergency vehicles from the nearby Glen Walter fire station heading west, he didn’t have a good feeling. The accident occurred around 6:20 a. m. and Alam received the sad telephone call from Muhammad-Noor’s sister shortly afterwards. “The institute has been here since 1985,” said Alam. “This is the first student to die while still attending the school.”

He remembered the teen as someone who enjoyed sports, especially hockey and basketball, immensely. Muhammad-Noor wasn’t a tall youngster, but that didn’t stop him from jumping with the best of them during a game.

He was also a gifted student, am. Muhammad-Noor had already memorized 23 of the 30 parts of the Quram, a “huge accomplishment” for his age. He had committed to memorizing the remaining sections this year and would have graduated from one of the school’s religious programs as a Hafiz, a person who memorized the complete book.

“He had been a student here about four years,” said Alam. “He was bright and very popular among both staff and students.”

Jihad is doing much better, confirmed the principal. “This is very good news for us,” Alam stated. Everyone is slowly coming to terms with the event.

“For us, it’s a real tragedy. We’re taking some time to grieve. There are so many inside feelings and you can give your mind good thoughts, but it takes much time,” Alam said.

-Written by Kathleen Hay.  For more information relating to children and car accidents go to www.ottawainjury.ca