NC State grad among those killed when Ukrainian plane shot down over Iran

An NC State graduate who passed away in the Ukrainian plane crash in Tehran is remembered as an "optimistic, joyful person," who never gave up. She was in Tehran visiting her family.

Posted 8:26 p.m. Jan 11, 2020 — Updated 2:56 a.m. Jan 12, 2020

Heather Leah

, WRAL digital journalist

The tragedy of the Ukrainian plane crash in Tehran hit closer to home when the death of NC State graduate Bahareh Karami was announced in the NC State News.

According to her profile, Karami was from Tehran, but was living in Ontario. The NC State News said she was in Tehran to visit her family.

Barrie Today reported that the Regional Municipality of York, where she lived, would lower all flags at regional facilities to half-mast in her honor.

After graduating from NCSU, Karami became a technologist with York Region's environmental services division.

“We are so shocked and extremely saddened by this tragedy,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Our prayers are with Bahareh’s family, friends and colleagues, and for everyone that may be impacted in any way by this horrific event.”

According to reports from Barrie Today, "Bahareh graduated from the University of Tehran with a bachelor of science in chemical engineering, before receiving a master’s degree in science from North Carolina State University."

"It really is a sad, tragic situation ... it's a senseless tragedy," said NC State professor Francis de los Reyes, who worked with Karami while she earned her Master's degree in environmental engineering from NCSU in 2012.

"It was shocking," Reyes said. "It was just hard to believe. She accomplished a lot, she learned a lot, she overcame challenges and was really successful in starting a successful career."

She never gave up

Karami's Facebook page has become a memorial, where friends, followers, family and colleagues can send messages of grief and memories of her life.

"My heart hurts with this sudden news," said one friend.

Through Facebook translation, another said, "You're gone. And the attitude of this country (Canada) as your second country and, our homeland, Iran again made this question more colorful in my mind: Why didn't our Iran, the ashes of its children, why did he let us leave her at 23 years old with a 23-Pound Bag with a lot of wishes? Why, a lamp in our homeland did not turn off to go out, why didn't the flag come down, why didn't any college boss cry for you at least on his instagram, why isn't our beloved homeland!"

"She had a bright future ahead of her," said her mentor, Professor Francis de los Reyes, according to the NC State News.

Reyes said in an interview with the NC State News, “Even when it was hard, she persevered,” he says. “She was an optimistic, joyful person; always positive. She never gave up.”

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