Raffi
Hagopian,
that
wonderful
human
being
with
a
heart
as
large as the world, is no longer with us.
He
left
us
last
night,
without
any
warning,
without
any
last
farewells.
Like a candle that goes out in the wind.
Like a leaf blown away by a gust.
Or a song that is unfinished here.
But
they
will
listen
to
the
rest
of
your
song,
Raffi,
in
the
other
world.
All
his
life,
he
has
been
known
as
gentle,
affectionate
and
guileless.
Music
was
his
life
-
and
he
never
stopped
dreaming
about creating some lasting masterpiece on his beloved guitar.
His
heart
is
filled
with
love
for
all,
and
he
has
never
learned
to
hate.
Raffi
was
born
on
June
7,
1963,
in
the
Old
city
of
Jerusalem,
to
Hagop Hagopian and his lovely wife, Hoppig.
He was only a toddler when his parents moved to Kuwait.
I
watched
him
crawl
and
grope
his
way
into
childhood,
his
inquisitive mind ever alert to his surroundings.
His
questions
never
ceased.
He
wanted
to
know
everything
about everything.
Raffi
particularly
enjoyed
the
beach,
playing
with
the
sand
joyfully,
building
endless
ephemereal
castles
only
to
see
them
washed away with the tide.
Like life.
He
was
the
first
child
to
be
born
into
the
modern
Hagopian
clan
and
became
the
center
of
our
world.
But
despite
all
the
love
and attention showered upon him, he never grew spoiled.
He
was
a
beautiful
gift
to
two
beautiful
people
-
but
it
was
a
gift
to
be
shared
by
all
those
around
them.
For
the
love
that
illuminated the soul of this gentle creature, spread far and wide.
His
love
for
music
dominated
his
life
-
it
was
Raffi
who
introduced me to Demis Russos.
"Forever and ever. . .," Raffi.
How
can
one
express
the
anguish
and
sorrow
his
untimely
passing has caused?
He was to be married in January...
The
HOW
has
been
determined
(a
heart
attack)
but
never
the
WHY.
At
times
like
this,
the
thought
always
returns
to
the
unanswered question: "why, ya allah?"
Why did he have to go away so soon? Why him?
And the answer is always, "Your 'ya allah' is my 'I am here.'"
He
is
always
here,
in
and
with
us
all,
though
we
cannot
understand
Him
or
His
ways.
But
we
know
that
His
love
and
compassion for us is unconditional.
And
we
know
that
in
His
boundless
mercy,
He
has
secured
a
place in paradise for our Raffi.
Rest in peace, beloved and cherished one.