Remembering Tombol

Dear Malik Family,

My heart has just found the strength to express my deep sadness and pain over the tragic and untimely loss of one of the most charismatic, beautiful, endearing and respectful young men I have ever met. I had the honor of meeting Tombol through my daughter, Stephanie Jackson, who shared a deep, mutual profound love with Tombol, beginning in a piano class at Kenwood Academy. When Stephanie came home "bubbling over" about a special young man she had met, and begging me to meet him, I could hardly wait to see who had caught her attention. What a joy when he was introduced to me at a Kenwood piano recital (where he was an usher). My first thought was how stunningly handsome and at ease he was. From then on, I occasionally drove him and Stephanie on errands or to meet for dates, shared several family dinners with him at Florian, tried to rent a car for them on their prom night (lost my drivers license that day and couldn't rent the car!), and enjoyed his presence at my home when he came to visit Stephanie. The respect he showed us as her parents was remarkable and unique for one his age. I did not realize how deeply they cared for each other until I read a poem and a letter written by Tombol to Stephanie expressing her special place in his heart and hoping that their future together would one day be their present (written when they were still dating). Upon reading this, I have wept over what might have been, but was so cruelly and brutally taken by one of Satan's own and his accomplice. Stephanie spoke with him by phone to plan a weekend lunch together two days before his life was taken. Stephanie felt his spirit depart this world that fateful morning. She tenderly protects her many momentoes of their relationship together and is putting together a memory book, which includes the tragic news articles and updates as they are reported. Perhaps, my tears and contemplation of the tragedy led to a dream I had about Tombol a couple of weeks ago that I would like to share with you, his beloved family. In my dream, I was walking in a crowd on my way to a restaurant. As I was walking, I saw a young man walking toward me, shimmering from head to toe, bathed in a golden light. It was Tombol. When I saw him, I started weeping. He took my hand and asked me why I was weeping. I told him I was weeping because he was so beautiful and I wished he could stay. He asked how my family was and that he would see me later at the restaurant. Overjoyed to see him, I was eating my meal when he passed by the window and waved at me. I waved back and then awoke from this dream with a smile. All I could think of was that HE IS FINE AND WANTS US ALL TO KNOW THIS. So, my dearest Malik family, our eternal thanks to you for blessing our lives with such a remarkable young man as our Tombol. His glorious spirit will forever shine within us until we meet again.
Happy Birthday, Tombol!

God Keep You in His Sustaining Grace and Mercy,

Sherry Jackson and Family