The Aslam Family from left, Mikey, Tariq, Hanna, Kim, Jimmy and Holly. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
LARSO
It’s hard when a life is cut short and you don’t get to see a young person run the whole race. Here, I want to demonstrate how faith, friendship, community, education, commitment and service – return once again to faith.
I recall when a young family visited a playgroup, I would guess around the year 2000. When a house came up for sale on our block, I prayed to God to please let this nice family with the really nice son buy the house. The nice son, who was about four was Jimmy Aslam, later to be followed by Holly, Mikey and Hannah.
Mikey passed away Saturday, Oct. 29, at the age of 20 and this is an attempt to memorialize the life of a fine young man and add a small legacy for the future.
Our block is like many others, but many older neighbors have become very close. The kids all started out at Chamisa, some going to Pinon, meeting up again at the middle school and on to high school. At one point I ran a school program called “WEB Crew” Where Everyone Belongs. At least five Isleta Drive kids including Mikey, would go through the WEB Crew leadership program. Additionally, some onto the high school program called “Link Crew”.
I later ended up at the senior centers with the Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization. As part of his Eagle Scout project, Mikey and Troop 122 built raised planter garden beds at the Betty Ehart Senior Center. Mikey received that honor in March 2018 with Executive Director Linda Boncella attending the recognition. The article written about his award can be found on the Los Alamos Daily Post website (link).
Then in 2020, a pandemic sidelined the world and the LAHS graduation. To make that odd time feel a little more normal, a socially distanced block graduation was organized by Champions of Youth Ambitions, whose home office also is located on Isleta Drive.
As a throw back to the WEB Crew, the students received Words of Wisdom from community elders from the senior center, and letters from their best friends, favorite teacher and others in bound notebooks to celebrate their accomplishment. Mikey’s included letters from his best friends Carlos and Miguel Chacon, Scout Leader Steve Mosier, LAMS math teacher Amy Bartlett Gaunt and elementary teacher Renee Mitsunaga.
While this will run after today’s funeral for Aslam, if you attended that church for this occasion, perhaps for the first time in many years, the first since the pandemic started or the first visit ever, I believe Mikey would love that if even for a short visit, he brought you to God.
Now, Champions of Youth Ambitions has established a scholarship in his memory. While the details of the scholarship will be announced at a later time, the goal is to allow Mikey’s life of service and faith, to help others succeed, a reference to the WEB & Link Crew mottos of “Students Helping Students Succeed”. Donations may be made to Champions of Youth Ambitions and sent to PO Box 4717 White Rock, New Mexico 87547.
May God Bless us all in our grief.
From left, Mikey Aslam and friends Miguel and Carlos Chacon. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen
Los Alamos Middle School Web Crew (8th grade year). Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen