It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share news no one should ever have to write. It’s a story not only of sorrow, but also of tribute to a young life marked by quiet strength and unwavering courage.

Our scholar here in Ethiopia, Yitayal, fought silently through growing signs of illness: swelling in his face and legs, a sharp decrease in urine output, and a deepening exhaustion he tried hard to hide. When he finally sought care weeks later, an ultrasound confirmed what we feared: both of his kidneys were severely undersized and overworked. His blood pressure had spiked, his blood vessels were weakened, and fluid was beginning to accumulate in his lungs and bladder.

He needed immediate dialysis, a treatment that could sustain him until a kidney transplant, which was the only true chance at lasting recovery. Many hands came together to support him in preparing for this journey. The first step was to lower his blood pressure, which began to stabilize with medication. Plans were being made, and a date was nearly set.

Yitayal’s family asked for time to visit a holy water site for spiritual healing until his blood pressure was lowered. But before a full-on treatment regime could begin, there in the holy water site, where he stayed for five days, we received the heartbreaking news: on May 24th, Yitayal passed away.

He was just beginning to take his next steps forward in health, in education, in hope.

Yitayal lived with his father and older brother in a home already deeply scarred by loss. Just three years ago, their mother passed away from kidney failure. Not long before that, Yitayal’s younger brother died from the same disease. And now, this devastating cycle returned, this time to him.

Yitayal was a full-time student at Admas University, enrolled in a diploma program in Marketing and Sales Management. He had just completed his orientation and was excited for a new chapter, embracing every rule and responsibility with maturity beyond his years. He managed the household chores, cared for his father, and stayed actively involved in his community as a proud member of Samaritan’s Manhood Club, a group that helps guide young men in being better sons, brothers, and future husbands.

What’s more, he had faced trauma head-on. After losing his mother and brother, Yitayal struggled with profound grief, but committed himself to counseling and trauma healing programs. He did the hard work. He showed up. And slowly, he began to rebuild.

We remember a powerful moment from just a few years ago, during his mother’s final days. Yitayal approached us quietly at a health campaign and asked if he could go to the clinic early. When we asked why, he finally said, “I want to donate my kidney to my mother.” He was only 17. He hadn’t told anyone about his desire to be a kidney donor. He wasn’t able to, but that moment revealed the depth of his love, his courage, and his willingness to sacrifice.

Today, his family is the one in need of saving not physically, but emotionally. The weight of this loss is staggering. His brother didn’t get to donate his kidney. He didn’t get to protect his little brother. Their father now faces the unimaginable: surviving two of his children.

Please, keep them in your hearts. Hold them in your prayers. Even the smallest gesture of kindness can offer light in their darkest hour.

In this valley of shadows, Yitayal walked with incredible courage. Now, may we walk beside his family in love, memory, and hope.

At a memorial gathering, his peers, our Samaritan Scholars, stood together to remember Yitayal — all speaking of his humility, empathy, and quiet strength. They honored him not just as a friend, but as a brother.

Let us do the same.

International Samaritan is a Christ-centered organization built on Catholic Social Teaching. Our mission is to walk hand-in-hand with people who live and work in the garbage dumps of developing nations to help them break out of poverty.

We provide holistic scholarships for students from kindergarten through college, and we’re currently supporting 950 scholars in Central America, the Caribbean, and East Africa.

Would your church or school group like to partner and travel with us? Learn about our Learn, Serve, Grow program.

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Selam Terefe, Regional Director, East Africa

Selam has years of experience in international development and aid. Her education and career have given her a thorough and in-depth knowledge of gender, legal, social, and political issues of East Africa with a special focus on Ethiopia. Selam is passionate about development in Africa and a strong believer in effective partnerships.