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Family remembers 'exceptional' life of student who fell to death

As friends and fellow students gather to remember a Raleigh Charter High School student who fell to his death last week, family members said Wednesday that they find comfort in the speech he was to have delivered at graduation.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — As friends and fellow students gather to remember a Raleigh Charter High School student who fell to his death last week, family members said Wednesday that they find comfort in the speech he was to have delivered at graduation.

Mehdy Hazheer, 18, was critically injured Friday night when he fell outside the school and hit his head on some bricks. He died two days later at WakeMed.

Mirahmad Hazheer said his son's sense of adventure led him to try and climb the side of the high school building, where seniors had gathered for a graduation-related event.

"I think that's what really happened, just pure accident," Hazheer said.

The younger Hazheer was a gifted student who earned A's in five Advanced Placement courses as a senior and who planned to attend Harvard University in the fall, family members said.

He was so humble, his mother said, that he didn't post news of his Harvard acceptance on his Facebook page for fear of making others who didn't get into the university feel bad.

"He was a very exceptional, unique child, just like an adult when he was a kid," cousin Neda Raheen said.

Mehdy Hazheer had been selected to speak at Raleigh Charter High's graduation last Saturday. One of his teachers delivered it in his absence.

The speech describes his dream of a united world, free from prejudice and hate.

"For me, the speech just solidified everything that he wanted," Raheen said.

Family members said Hazheer was a practicing Muslim who founded several organizations at his school aimed at respecting all religions. He made every decision prayerfully, they said.

"Every religion's basis core is to be a good person, is to do good for others, and Mehdy did that," Raheen said.

"God is about love, love of humanity, love of each other, make the world a better place, make a difference," Mirahmad Hazheer said.

The speech was posted on Facebook, where people all over the world have read it in recent days.

"I hope that everybody would read about him and continue his dream," his father said.

Mehdy Hazheer's organs were donated after his death, and hospital officials told the family that he helped five other people.

"Mehdy was just beyond this world, and he's with God now," Raheen said.

A memorial service and burial is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Raleigh Memorial Park & Mitchell Funeral Home, at 7501 Glenwood Ave. Raleigh Charter High will hold a private memorial service at Longview Center, at 118 S. Person St., at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

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