The recent death of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences international student Zhizhang He left a permanent mark on his closest friends, who said they were practically a second family to him at Boston University.
He’s two closest friends, Rui Li and Yin Chen, said he was one of the most optimistic and hardworking students they ever knew. Li and Chen are both graduate students in the College of Engineering.
“We will always remember how he helped other people,” Li said. “He came to BU early and helped his roommates settle in. He was always a person who had a warm heart and who helped other people in society, whether he knew them or not.”
Li said He was a dedicated boyfriend and cared about his girlfriend — who is currently residing in London — a lot. Li said He’s girlfriend would try to come to the United States as soon as possible.
He studied at BU this summer and was completing his second semester this fall.
“The loss of a young person just affects everybody because it’s very hard and difficult to comprehend,” BU spokesman Colin Riley said. “We don’t know what the cause was, and we grieve for his family.”
Riley said the university is offering many services and support to He’s friends and family.
“There’s been outreach for him under the auspices of the Dean of Students Office,” he said. “The International Students and Scholars Office has been in contact with his roommates and friends to offer services, support and counseling. Those offers have been extended … for if there’s any housing to be needed temporarily, but they haven’t needed that.”
Chen said He always stood out as a genuine and pleasant person.
“He was a very nice guy,” she said. “The three of us – Rui, Zhizhang and I – we hung out a lot. Just a week before he died, we had dinner and a movie together. We had a bet about which among the three of us would get married first. We kind of agreed Zhizhang would definitely get married first – he was a very good guy and he loved his girlfriend a lot. We agreed he would be a good husband and father in the future.”
Chen said He’s friends and family are figuring out a way to honor his memory, but it is difficult because his parents are still in China.
“His dad told me he was a great son,” College of Arts and Sciences senior Young Luo said. “The family members all adore him. He was a top student in every school he attended, and all his teachers and classmates loved him. He helped a lot of people.”
Luo said He’s parents are trying to come to the United States as soon as possible.
“The family hasn’t been able to get over here yet,” Riley said. “They need to qualify for a passport and go from there.”
Luo said although He’s parents cannot enter the United States for several days, they want He’s friends and the BU community to know what a positive person he was.
“The parents hope he can be a role model for other young men and women,” he said. “He was a great son, student, friend and a person with a positive role in society.”
Chen and Li both said He’s studiousness was a major part of his life. He wanted to bring honor to his family by succeeding at BU.
“He was someone who everybody loved,” Li said.
CAS senior Young Luo helped to translate portions of interviews for this article.