As a kid, I grew up in Saadnayel, a little town in Lebanon. My world was our little neighborhood which I greatly love and am passionately attached to because, in it, I grew up encountered with great neighbors and was gifted with life long friends. The house of our neighbors "beit Abo Shaker" was the house that made me feel that I belong to their family. There, I spent so much time as a child, as a teenager and as an adult. There, I played, ate, watched TV, studied, slept, and laughed. That's where I met 3ammo Walid as a child, and my relationship with his family grew stronger as we grew up. I became friends with his daughters and looked forward to their visits to Lebanon. As a child, I loved him because he would give us vitamin "C", which, to me, was considered my favorite "treat". His constant smile and his cheerful face generated in us a sense of happiness. I grew up and became an adult and became familiar with 3ammo Walid, the father who wanted the best for his family. Through my relationship with his daughters generally and my close friendship with Mayssoun specifically, I loved 3ammo Walid more. Mayssoun spoke so much of her father throughout the years of our friendship and that's how I learned so much about him. 3ammo Walid, I learned about your endless love, your sacrifices and your strong support to all of your daughters. You crossed continents just to see them and be there for them. You instilled in them the love for their culture and the Arabic language, even the classic Arabic music. I remember Mayssoun telling me how much you insisted when they were teenagers that they listen to famous singers like Farid al atrash, mkarem mahmoud, um kolthoum and others. This is how much you were attached to your roots 3ammo Walid and you wanted your daughters to inherit and absorb from the culture you loved. You made sure it does not fade away by planting its seeds in their hearts. Mayssoun talked about your last visit to her house and how much fun it was. When I learned that you are no longer with us, I cried. I cried because we lost someone dear to our hearts. I cried for your daughters' loss because I knew how much you meant to them. Immediately, my visit to Canada over 8 years ago became strongly present in my mind, specifically when Mayssoun and I were cleaning the house. She played Najwa Karam's song "we kberna" which she sings with Wadih Al Safi. I looked at Mayssoun and she was crying. She said to me,trying her best to overcome her tears: "Lara, I am so afraid to lose my father..it is my biggest fear.." bkeet b7ar2a... 3ammo Walid, you have left an overwhelmingly empty space. You are greatly missed. But I know you will always be present through the stories we will have of you. I personally feel I didn't get to grieve properly because I am far. Thank you Nahid for creating this space to share our stories which we will always cherish. 3ammo Walid left us with a life lesson on how to be a great parent. He didn't instruct us, but he acted out naturally as a loving and supportive parent. I will try my best to be for my daughter what you were and still are for your daughters. We love you. Your daughters' friend, Lara