by Arif Faisal Death, Obituary – One of the children who had participated in the Mystic Mural program over the summer of 2017 tragically lost their life as a result of the irresponsible actions of a member of the Cambridge Police Department, who was found to have acted negligently. The officer’s conduct led directly to the death of this youngster, which was a direct consequence of those actions. This terrible thing happened not too long ago in recent history, not too far back in time. Because of the recent happenings, the Arts Council is delivering this news to you with a heavy heart. We apologize for the inconvenience.
We are sorry for the trouble this has caused. Arif Sayed Faisal, who departed unexpectedly when he was only 20 years old, will be remembered as a young guy who cared deeply about others and had a genuine enthusiasm for life and the world. We are remembering his life today by holding a memorial service. We would like to pay our respects to Arif Sayed Faisal during this time when we are thinking back on the past and reflecting on the past. Arif made the most of the time he spent with us over the course of the summer working on the Mystic River Mural by contributing to the project with a spirit of collaboration, a calm curiosity, and a passion for art and environmental education.
He also made the most of the time he spent with us by working on the mural during the summer. Not only is the passing of his a tragedy for the entirety of the Mystic Mural community, but it is also a sorrow for Somerville as a city in its entirety. We want his family and friends to know that they have our support and that they are in our thoughts during this difficult time, and we want them to know that we are thinking about them. Additionally, we would like for them to be aware that we are thinking about them and that they are present in our minds.
