Aydin Salek’s family and friends mourn a bright future lost

The letters arrived in March. “Congratulations!” each began. Aydin Salek had his pick of UC schools — Berkeley, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine — all inviting him to join the graduating class of 2014.

But the South Pasadena teen had died of alcohol poisoning three months earlier, a day shy of his 18th birthday. The death stunned the community, spurred a debate about underage drinking and prompted Aydin’s parents to consider returning to Iran, which they had left not long ago.

Hamid Salek, 51, and Azita Rezvan, 49, were reminded Saturday of why they chose to stay in the United States. Dozens of students, parents, neighbors and relatives arrived at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Hollywood Hills on the one-year anniversary of their only child’s death. It was the same group of people who had reached out to the couple with vigils and visits and phone calls and donations over the last year.

“We truly appreciate this manifestation of life and love on this day,” Hamid Salek said in Persian to the gathered assembly that stood somber on a small hillside. “This crowd is dedicated to sharing the hope of life with others. We cried in our silence, but we are determined to share smiles of joy with our community.”

Translated into English, the words bore deep into friends and family members who wiped away tears. Several offered the sobbing Rezvan an embrace. Others stared at the ground or at Aydin’s headstone, surrounded by flowers and a photo of the young man known as a respected leader at South Pasadena High.

“I can’t believe it’s been a year already — it feels like it just happened,” Tony Veiller, 18, said afterward. Veiller, a senior at South Pasadena High, created a Facebook memorial page for Aydin and helped organize vigils immediately after his death. He has since felt a responsibility to honor his friend by throwing himself into schoolwork and athletics.

“Why waste a second of this opportunity when it’s an opportunity he doesn’t have?” Veiller said.

Popular and outgoing, Aydin served as president of both the American Cancer Society club and Model United Nations. He wrote editorials for the school paper and was eager to introduce his peers to Persian culture and history. When he ran for student government and won, he donated his $100 campaign budget to the cancer society.

“The way he was made you want to be better,” said a former classmate, Natalya Subbotina, 19. “He had this natural compassion, you knew he cared about you.”

A chapter of the cancer society now has an award in Aydin’s name that recognizes exceptional youth leaders; and the state recently passed so-called 911 immunity legislation that encourages underage drinkers to seek emergency help by offering limited immunity from prosecution. Aydin had attended a party in Altadena where he drank alcohol, then passed out in a car. Panicked, his friends did not call authorities and instead drove him to the home of another friend who knew CPR. Aydin never woke up.

Salek and Rezvan have chosen not to speak about mistakes that might have been made that December night. Instead, they focus on the Aydin Salek Leadership Foundation, which awards scholarships to high school students.

“Anything else is not important,” Salek said Saturday as he left for his South Pasadena home, where the memorial would continue.

Not all of Aydin’s friends could make the event. After graduation, many scattered across the nation and were deep into preparations for college finals.

corina.knoll@latimes.com