LOGAN SQUARE — In remembering 26-year-old Suraj Mahadeva, many friends and family members said the same thing: They wouldn’t be the person they are without him.
Whether through dancing, cracking jokes or showing up and listening, Mahadeva had a knack for lifting up the people around him, always pushing them to be their best selves, his loved ones said at a vigil Thursday.
About 100 mourners filled the Center on Halsted’s theater at 3656 N. Halsted St. to honor Mahadeva, who was killed in a Palmer Square shooting last weekend in what appears to be a random attack.
For two hours, family and friends took turns sharing memories of Mahadeva from the community center’s stage as photos and videos of the 26-year-old — full of life and surrounded by friends — cycled through on the projector screen.
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Originally from Michigan, Mahadeva was many things: a brother, a son and a dear friend. But central to his life was his Asian-American heritage — specifically, Sri Lankan and Filipino — and his LGBTQIA identity. In high school and college, he led Asian-American student groups. And in Chicago, where he settled after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in neuroscience, he was an active member of the city’s LGBTQIA community.
The night Christian Aldana met Mahadeva in college, he was emceeing a Philippine cultural event.
“And for anyone who knows Suraj, it’s so fitting for him to be the person who’s hosting and keeping everybody’s energy up,” Aldana said.
Aldana and Mahadeva stayed friends after college. She said Mahadeva’s warmth is what propelled her forward when she struggled.
“When we reconnected, I was at a time in my life when I was trying to understand my queerness for me,” Aldana said. “He cooked me dinner in his apartment, and he made fried fish — Filipino-style — [when] I was in such a sad state. I don’t think he knew at the time, but that meal meant so much to me because I felt so seen by someone else who understood the things I was thinking about and going through and understood that having some sense of home and stability is so important, especially for queer people.”
Mahadeva was a skilled cook, a lover of music and dancing and a kind and compassionate person who nurtured his friends and anyone he came in contact with, said his ex-boyfriend, Stevie Hanley. Hanley and other friends and family members said Mahadeva felt very at home in Chicago, where he built a life around his queer identity.
Teja Kodali, a high school and college friend, said one of Mahadeva’s defining characteristics was his selflessness. Mahadeva worked as a medical technician by day, but volunteered in his free time, teaching kids with autism how to swim and helping young Chicagoans experiencing homelessness. Asked what he wanted to do with his life, he’d reply, “Help others.”
“He was such a rare person. I don’t think I will ever meet anyone like him,” Kodali said. “He taught me so much about life. He had such an open mind. He was so curious [about] people and getting to know them, and understanding their lives and trying to walk in their shoes. … I really think the world is going to be a dimmer place without him.”
Mahadeva was shot in his head and killed while on a friend’s porch just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the 2100 block of North Albany Avenue, according to police and loved ones. Friends and family have said it was a random attack. Police have no suspect description and could not provide further information about the events leading up to the shooting.
Desperate for justice and answers, Mahadeva’s family is calling on anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
“The best way to be safe is to catch the person who did this and to stop people from being able to do something like this again,” Mahadeva’s sister, Althea, previously said.
But the police investigation — and the circumstances of the mysterious shooting — didn’t come up at Thursday’s vigil. Instead, friends and family used the event to honor Mahadeva and reflect on a life well-lived.
Jennifer, a family member who declined to give her last name, said she’s thankful she got to spend so much time with Mahadeva, even if his life was cut painfully short.
“He’s someone that inspired me to become a better person. His spirit gave off a sense of joy and warmth that’s irreplaceable,” she said. “I honestly can say I’ve never laughed so hard in my life or felt so much joy than when I was with Suraj.”
Family members have launched a GoFundMe campaign to honor Mahadeva. Donations can be made here.