Known him little, respected him a lot... Tombol was a true gentleman.

Dear Malik family,

I heard of the violence at UIC a few days ago but I didn't know that it was Tombol that was attacked that evening until today when I read his name on a news site. Tombol was a good friend of mine when we went to Harold Washington College here in Chicago. He was a very unique individual in how he treated others with a level of grace and compassion that is unheard of these days. I used to share with him stories about my times in Sudan and Egypt, and even though he didn't know much about home, he seemed strongly attached to it considering how interested he was in knowing more. I wish I had the opportunity to go with him to Sudan someday. Even though my wish is no longer a possibility, I plan to make a charitable donation to the poor children of Sudan when I go back in December.

With my deepest condolences,

Ahmed A Hassan