My uncle died on October 11th, 2020, in the middle of the morning, and went to heaven. That day, my aunt called my father to inform him that my uncle had died in the hospital due to heart failure. He died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, located in Vancouver, Canada, at age 84. In the last week of September, my uncle had the chance to say goodbye to his friends and family. He was named Amoo Houshang. Amoo is Farsi for uncle. Everyone remembers my uncle as an honorable, kind, dignified, trustworthy, and wise person. He always put his family and friends first. He valued the time he spent with his beloved wife and family. He would often tell life stories and life lessons.
As the first born he took on a lot of responsibility and looked over his family.  His brothers were always well taken care of because of him. They received his financial support if they ever needed it. When I was born he traveled to visit my family for two weeks. He always offered his support and advice and helped the family with their career paths and goals and used his connections to help them. No matter how busy he was family was a priority.
My uncle was born in Kerman, Iran, but moved to British Columbia during the Iranian Revolution in 1979. He was the eldest of four brothers named Kourosh, Manoucher, and Rashid, my father, in birth order. My dad is the youngest. My uncle also had three children: one daughter and two sons named Nazanin, Ramin, and Afshin. He always wanted them to be well-educated while remaining true to their Persian and Zoroastrian heritage. My uncle also had five grandchildren, whom he deeply loved.
My uncle had an unforgettable smile. He was truly a self-made man with excellent strength and perseverance. Memories of my uncle come from different places and times. First of all, I last saw him in August of 2019 during a cousin’s wedding in Seattle. He came to San Diego to visit us with his wife and traveled to  Las Vegas. When we arrived, we walked around a luxurious hotel with a beautiful garden, his walker in hand. I would walk next to him to show him that I cared about him. Then we had dinner at a large buffet with so much delicious food. I remember my uncle and my dad having crab legs with butter together, which is emotional because it is brotherly to share a meal with a sibling.
I remember visiting Canada for spring break to see him and other family members in April. There, we shared meals. Having the same food is a Persian tradition, and my uncle, aunt, and the rest of my family are hospitable, which I am used to. When I would wake up, he would say, “Khobe khabede dee shab.” This means did you sleep well last night? I would reply, “Man khoob khabedam shoma chee,” which means I slept well. How about you? I remember how we both had bread, butter, and jam with a cup of hot Persian tea for each breakfast, which was delicious. On the first day, my mom, dad, aunt, and uncle had salmon together for dinner. I recall how my uncle always said to me, “Eshala to Salem o tandorost bashe,” which means “I hope that you are always healthy, and having a great life” in Farsi. I will always have him in my heart and never be upset or sob because our loved ones who are now in heaven will be happy.
I am also fortunate to have a great, kind, and fun family, which warms my heart. My extended family from my father’s side is huge—when I say huge, I mean enormous. I have 15 cousins from my dad’s three brothers who live in the United States, in places like San Francisco and Boston. My mom’s side is a bit smaller but more international. For example, one of my cousins lives in Finland, the other in Armenia, and the other in Iran. However, I have not met my mom’s side of the family before. My second cousin, Aryana, who is only a year older than me, came up with the idea that after we retire, we should travel the world together. My dream is to visit Iran to see where my parents lived in Kerman, Iran. A school is being built there in honor of my grandparents and my father’s names. This is due to the contributions and donations my father has made to communities in Kerman, Iran. My father received a plaque and has a hall named after him and my great-grandfather. A school foundation they are working on is in their name. My father has a great quote that he always likes to mention: “Wisdom is King,” which means a king needs to have the wisdom to withstand the throne to make sure his empire is stable and to avoid insurrections or rebellions.
Family is the most precious thing God has given us, so we should always cherish the moments we have with them. I know they will always be there for me whenever I need them. I am so grateful for all the moments I shared with my uncle.