The Excelsior High School student Delmar Braham, who lost his fight against cancer, was remembered recently as a young man who was determined to survive beyond all odds, and whose hope was admired and envied by many.

The life and dreams of the 19-year-old aspiring doctor, graphic artist and entrepreneur were cut short on February 2, when he took his last breath at the United States Embassy, where he had gone to collect his visa to leave the island for medical treatment.

Braham, who found out that he had cancer last April and had to quit school, was featured in the Jamaica Observer where he and his mother appealed for help in their fight against his cancer — osteosarcoma — which had manifested itself as a huge tumour below his shoulder.

It was through this medium that Braham had received assistance to travel to Mettowee Valley Family Health Centre, which was planned for the following day after his visa appointment.

On February 25, family, schoolmates and well-wishers gathered at Faith Tabernacle New Testament Church of God on Delacree Road in Kingston to say their last goodbyes to the admirable young man.

Braham was remembered as a quiet and reserved young man who was very talented and was very dedicated in his schoolwork.

“He was the epitome of the school’s motto, ‘Do it with thy might’, as everything he touched, drew or designed echoed these charges,” Vice-Principal Colleen McIntrye-Walker said.

“He was gifted, intelligent, quiet, determined, goal-driven and a soft-spoken young man, yet he was stern and solid. He was resolute in his desire of becoming a medical doctor,” she added.

McIntyre-Walker said Delmar was like a son to her and that he was very confident that he would fight his illness and would return to school, but it was not meant to be. However, she said, he had everything as, along with his friends and family, he had hope eternal because he had Christ Jesus

Shena Carty, humanitarian and founder of Jamaican Madhouse Charity, who had came to Braham’s assistance and had organised for him to travel overseas, expressed sadness at his passing.

“He shouldn’t be here. When we learned of Delmar, in less than week we had raised the funds for him to travel, and if we had learn about him six months or eight ago he would still be alive,” she said.

She urged family members and community members not to be afraid to reach out for help when their loved ones become ill with life-threatening disease.

“All it would have taken was for you to take a picture and post it on Facebook and just say ‘help’” she said.

Braham, who leaves behind his mother Carol Lodge, father Delroy, and six sisters, was laid to rest at Meadowrest Memorial Gardens in St Catherine.