On Friday, Sept. 8, dozens of Bilal Omar’s fellow classmates and educators gathered in prayer at the Grotto in celebration of his life. By request of his family, all attendees wore white, a symbol of Bilal’s undying light.

Named after the companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, those closest to him also found him to be a true companion.

For the last six years of his life, Bilal battled cancer. He passed away on Sept. 2. 

Relationships

When asked to describe “Boogie,” a nickname used by the people close to Bilal, they all affectionately regarded him as a sweet, loving, and goofy soul, dedicated to making others smile and laugh. 

“He made me feel like I had no room to be down, no room to be sad,” Xavier Deberry (Class of 2023), a close friend of the Omar’s, said. 

Xavier published a novel in June of 2023 about his spiritual journey, titled A Living Vessel: Renewing Your Mind. He explained how it struck home when Bilal came to Xavier for advice about composing a novel about his own faith journey. Xavier thought of Bilal’s passion and love for God, and how this drove him to be the best version of himself and to do whatever he put his mind to.

“Boogie was already doing so much and still wanted to do more and see more, and make an impact… He was probably one of the most faith-filled kids I’ve ever seen,” Xavier said. 

Bilal ran a small photography and videography business–his platform being an Instagram account under the username @Boog.Products, with which he would shoot for athletes at Gibbons, those in Wake and Durham counties, and others across the state. He even traveled out of state with some AAU basketball teams to film. 

Grayson Lee-Minor (Class of 2023), another dear friend of Bilal’s, was in awe of his ability to still show up and continue being the basketball team’s biggest supporter. 

“For someone who was going through something so heavy, he was so lighthearted. He was never complaining or fussing,” said Grayson.

Both Grayson and Xavier thought of Bilal as a little brother. They fondly remembered times they would offer advice to him and he would respond in turn. They savored the positive presence and humor he would bring to any situation. 

“Knowing him was one of the greatest gifts I could ever get,” Grayson said.

Bilal’s sweet personality was not only visible to his family and friends – it was clear and infectious in school too. He developed a close relationship with Coach Bill Liedy, his sophomore fitness teacher, the two connecting over Liedy’s experience with a son who battled and survived cancer. 

When asked about Liedy, Bilal said, “Oh, you mean Bill?”

Liedy spoke highly of Bilal’s trust in God and hope for a bright future. On days that were particularly tough, Liedy remembers Bilal telling himself that “God’s got him.” Liedy felt motivated daily by Bilal’s grit and spirit to push through even the most difficult times.

“Bilal was too good for this world,” said Liedy.

Education

While attending Cardinal Gibbons, Bilal remained dedicated to his education. 

Lori Giannaccini, Bilal’s freshman English teacher, began teaching at Cardinal Gibbons in 2021. She found herself constantly impressed by Bilal’s spirit and commitment to his work. 

“He had a remarkable sense of perseverance,” Giannaccini said. “I was really impressed with his attitude. He had a really nice sense of humor and his laugh was contagious.”

Laura Ingerham, Bilal’s sophomore-year English teacher, was constantly impressed by Bilal’s positivity and desire to participate in the classroom. 

“Everything he was, everything he wrote about was always positive,” Ingerham said. “He was a young person with the same desires as all young people… he wanted to grow and become who he was supposed to be.”

As a part of Ingerham’s second-semester coursework, students were assigned to create an intensive research paper over the course of numerous weeks. Aware of the fatigue Bilal faced from his condition and treatments, Ingerham was prepared to be flexible with him. 

“I was ready to modify my process, but he was not interested in that,” Ingerham said. “He wanted to do the research paper the way everybody else had to do the research paper. He brought me drafts and worked so hard on it. He revised and modified and perfected.” 

Though Bilal couldn’t always apply all of his effort, he succeeded at being the best student he could be.

Faith Life

Bilal faced many challenges on his journey, but his faith was never shaken by his illness. He remained an active participant at his church, Rebuild Fellowship, and kept a close relationship with his pastor, Pastor Chuck Reed. 

Family, friends, and educators alike admired Bilal for his unwavering faith. Even in the classroom, Bilal’s relationship with God shone through. 

“He wrote about God and faith and heaven,” Giannaccini said. “He was always very faithful and loved the Lord… it was always part of his and his family’s life.”

Many close to Bilal were inspired by his ability to trust in God and take advantage of the opportunities life granted him. 

Ingerham was most impressed by Bilal’s strength and perseverance, commenting on his eagerness to pursue opportunities and put his best foot forward. Having taught hundreds of students over the years, Ingerham recognized Bilal’s one-of-a-kind attitude, persevering even when times were tough. 

Watching Bilal grow as a student, Ingerham gained this valuable perspective. 

“Keep showing up for life and keep living life until it’s done,” Ingerham said. “I think he modeled that so beautifully and so sweetly… he was just such a gentle person.”

Regardless of the struggles he faced, Bilal’s positive attitude was set in stone. Those who walked alongside him say he will leave an everlasting legacy – a shining light in the class of 2025 as well as the greater Cardinal Gibbons community.

Bilal’s strength and bravery during his six-year-long journey even made its way to Allen Iverson, former NBA player, who uploaded a memorial post on Instagram in honor of Bilal. 

Iverson’s caption follows: “Love you lil bro, see you when I get there. Your assignment down here is complete. You won the fight! Live every day like it’s your last y’all.”

The post includes an audio recording from Bilal, who had been inspired by a documentary on the NBA All-Star player. 

“Never question God,” Bilal said. “I know God has a plan for me, and God knows best.” He ends with a personal prayer: “God, please forgive me for all my sins… as I know you know best. Amen.” 

“See You Again”

Genevieve Donahue, Bilal’s sophomore math teacher who he referred to as “Miss Genevieve” or “Miss G,” also adored his presence and joyful disposition. She remembered running into him at the first home football game of the season on Aug. 18. His mom had informed her that he had not been doing well, and had just been released from the hospital that day.

“I brought him onto the field to go say ‘Hi’ to his friends and he picked up a football and his face just lit up,” said Donahue. “He was so happy to be on campus and see his friends. In that moment you could see how excited he was and how excited his brother was to see him smile again, because he’d been through so much.”

The following Wednesday, Bilal’s mother brought him to Gibbons to receive his yearbook and see his friends and past teachers.

“I refused to say goodbye,” said Donahue, “I just said ‘I’ll see you again sometime.’”

And she will.

In fact, each of us can see Bilal everyday in the legacy he left on our school and on the world. Although the loss of our dear friend leaves an irreplaceable hollow in our community, the memory of Bilal’s love and inspiration will never abandon us. It will forever be present in the smiles on our faces, and the joy in our hearts.

“I don’t think he’ll ever stop inspiring… If this kid can go through what he did and still smile about it, we’ll all be okay at the end of the day,” Donahue said.

We can remember Bilal’s unrelenting strength and perseverance during our own struggles. We can recall his dedication to God and his encouragement to never question Him when we feel lost. 

“God promises to finish the work He has begun in each one of us. We can trust in that and believe in that for Bilal,” said Ingerham.

Bilal has made his mark on us as a messenger and servant of God, and now being beside Our Lord, he is exactly where he deserves to be.