Your One Stop Keyur Shop!

No. If this is true, what a waste. What an odd, mind-numbing waste.

I’ll return later to post something more coherent. I wouldn’t want Keyur’s family and friends (especially his parents) to think that few care, so I that it important to post something now.

I just read a post on Akash’s blog about this, so it seems to be true. If this were a cruel prank, I’m assuming Keyur would have concocted something less mundane than a slip in the bathroom. . .

I’m not sure what to write. I know only that Keyur was a bright, uniquely goofy and idosyncratic guy I will always remember fondly. I suppose that doesn’t change. It was the same way I felt a few days ago, when I figured he was alive and well in India. But now those memories are all I’ll have of him.

I wonder what he’d think of this. . . I know he would be desperately sad for his parents and family. My heart really goes out to them! He certainly wanted to take care of them now that he’d graduated.

I am grateful for having known him. It’s funny how you hear that often at funerals but it’s because, ultimately, it’s about the only positive conclusion. And it’s true.

And what a haplessly random way to go. It could have only been stranger if it were pant-related.

I don’t really know what else to write here. There doesn’t seem to be much use in dwelling on the tragedy. He will be missed and loved and I feel privileged that he enriched my life.

Steve I think your words are perfect. We are all glad to have known him, as I’m sure he has affected all of our lived. I think all that can be done is to remember him, and maybe let a little of his lust for life creep into the way we live. I think he would be most proud of that.

I think I saw Keyur no more than half a dozen times in person at the Dean of Students office. But he emailed me often when he was first getting this website set up, asking me why CSS wasn’t doing what it was supposed to be doing. It was fun to help him figure it out, because he had such a programmer’s logic - if(x == y) {z} - which really didn’t help him figure out CSS because it’s kind of like programming’s antithesis. And so once he figured it all out, he was so gracious for the help, and he was genuinely worried that he had bugged me. He just never seemed to understand how much fun it was for me.

Most of my early reports about Keyur were from Ari, my wife, who worked with him. She’d occasionally bring home a funny story about Keyur, and so that’s mostly how I knew him - as this funny guy who sometimes got into strange predicaments. And just when I had started to build my own friendship with him independent of Ari or the Dean of Students office, he wrote this comment at my site: “I’m in Charlotte now. For the time being I’ve left Austin behind as another chapter in my memory. I’ll be back though, the fight against pants must be waged on all fronts. Did 1258 miles of driving over two days, which was awesome. Hope to keep in touch with you and the Missus, who by the way needs to get her blog up.”

I really didn’t understand until then that he was leaving Austin. I thought he was just going home for the summer, but that he’d be back to school this Fall. I just remember thinking how unfortunate it was that I didn’t get to know him better while he was here in town.

Going back through Keyur’s archives, I found something he wrote back in May that made me laugh and gave me the strange sense that everything’s okay, even if Keyur’s really gone: “I wonder sometime if in the afterlife we are empowered with odd powers while we’re given time to tie up loose ends in this world. I would want to have the power to destroy belt buckles and pant waist buttons just to start. With these powers I could actually fight the battle at a whole another level.”

I guess this should be a warning for everyone: lock up your pants.

Godspeed, young Keyur.

life is crazy. it gets taken away so quickly and unexpectadly from the most precious of people. keyur was one of those amazing types…he was such a deep person, and i’m sure he will be remembered by anyone who met him. he had his own unique and random way of expressing himself…but everything he did, it was full of his soul and love. after years of knowing him, i truly know how incredibly giving, unbelievably caring he was…he would always care for his family & loved ones before himself… beyond words, just an amazing person.

keyur, you have been and will be missed so dearly… i have an incredible amount of wonderful memories with you that i will always cherish in my heart… you really were the wind beneath my wings… thank you.

God, please take good care of him.

god bless your soul and heart…i knew keyur from high school and since then have been in touch..from the garbage cans at the end of the PHS hall to the endless morning library conversations..keyur is one dynamic person.….i have to say that he has an amazing personality and whenever anyone’s spirits were down he would lift them right up…during high school he threw a surprise b-day for me at his house which i still remember so well…such a caring and warm person..then he came to texas where he visited me in houston..it was great to catch up…times like these just make u wonder why each individual comes in to ur life..and im glad that he was a part of my life.….but fond memories are always there…to hold and cherish…i pray for his family and especially for uncle and aunty…please be strong and my prayers are with u.….he will remain dear to my heart…u will always be remembered my friend…

I am still in a state of shock about this. To put it very simply, Keyur was a genuinely good human being. And you don’t come across that very often in life. Unlike a lot of people who merely exist, he truly lived life. He didn’t plan endlessly, he went out and did. That is the biggest gift he has left me as a friend. If I can capture even one iota of his zest for life in my own life, I would consider myself very lucky and blessed.

Although the number of years he walked this earth in this lifetime were cut short, he lived those years to their fullest. He lived more in his 23 years than some do in 60 or 70.

My thoughts and prayers are with you, Uncle and Aunty. And to all his relatives and close friends. I know that God is watching over his soul.

Keyur, you will be greatly missed.

Sumita

When I first heard of Keyur’s passing it came as quite the shock. When somebody that full of life is suddenly taken from us it causes us all to step back and pause. It is so against what we as humans think is normal that how could we not just be in shock at such a random loss of an amazing person.

When looking back on all the memories of Keyur (for those of you who dont me I lived in the same hall as Keyur when we were at UT Austin) I came across one of the first memories I had of Keyur. I knew he was a vegetarian and he knew I was quite the meat consumer…so one night he just came into my dorm room and we spent the better part of 3 hours discussing our differences and why we thought the way we thought. We barely knew each other. It was the way he approached the matter that made me realize how unique he was. No matter how different our views were, Keyur showed no sign of disrespect towards me or my beliefs. He simply wanted to learn and to understand the reasoning behind my actions and beliefs. Needless to say that he earned my respect for the way in which he conducted himself not only that night but every day of his life.

There are so many events like that that I could share but to me that first real chance to talk to him will forever stay with me as my most vivid memory of him…well that and Dallas chasing him all over Moore Hill with my 9 iron but thats a WHOLE other story…

Even though we drifted apart after college that doesnt make this any less painful…

I shall miss you my friend.

The news is truly shocking. Sometimes it is hard to grasp such things. Why Keyur? Why now? So full of dreams, ideas, so vibrant…so jovial…so creative. You hope it is not true, that he would post another eloquent, interesting memoir on his website tomorrow. I am trying to picture Keyur’s face, and I repeatedly see images of him in hospital…oh god…I hope the many memories in college, our trip to New York, San Antonio survive with me as reminders of the good times spent with a truly good person. I hope he is well, wherever he is…

I spent some time reading many of Keyur’s funny and eloquent memoirs and looking at all of the pictures of him surrounded by loving family and great friends. I am especially glad he has had a chance to go back to India after so many years, since it is one place he has always considered home.

Keyur has always been a great friend: fun-loving, funny, silly, interesting, thoughtful, and kind. I admire the way he has been able to take on and conquer many challenges, and am saddened by our loss.

I especially feel for his parents, whom Keyur deeply loved a wanted to care for. They are lucky to have known a son so generous, caring, and virtuous, and I am sure they are proud of his memory.

Keyur, you will be in my thoughts and I am truly grateful for the time we have spent together…

Keyur and I worked together at the SSB. When I heard the news from another co-worker, all I could do was question why this had to happen. While I only knew Keyur for a short time, he was a person I felt I could confide in (and for me, that’s a pretty big deal). We had so many wonderful talks and he always gave the most sound advice. We laughed a lot together and never failed to make work fun for one another. He understood my obsession with pop culture like no one else, so we talked nonstop about music and politics. We even went to see “Bowling for Columbine” for the first time together. He introduced me to edible tofu and we would have lunch at Thai Noodle House. There was always some political cause we could agree on and talk about it for hours. I don’t think I’ve ever taken to anyone as quickly as I took to Keyur. He had a truly infectious personality, and I always knew that there were good times to be had when he was around.
I just can’t believe that we will never talk again. That I’ll never again be able to tease “Y2Keyur” or listen to his tirades against pants. We’ll never talk about his love of “Knight Rider” or watch Homestar Runner cartoons. But I know I will always remember and cherish our short friendship. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to befriend Keyur, and my life is all the richer for it.

My heart and my prayers go out to Keyur’s family and friends whom he always spoke of with great love and adoration.

Keyur was a inspirational individual who lived his life to the fulllest with laughter and love. I will miss his jokes and laughter the most. He was a great human being with a big heart for his friends and most importantly his parents. He will be greatly missed.

My thoughts and prayers are with Keyur’s family especially his parents.

May God bless him and his family.

I have no idea what to say.

I was lucky enough to spend a year living around the corner from Keyur in Moorehill my freshman year at UT. He was honest to God one of the most happy, optimistic, and caring people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

The fact that I’m typing this from an Ibook has a lot to do with him.

I honestly don’t know what to type. I can’t explain the hurt I feel knowing that someone with so much potential won’t have the chance to live out any of the things we all know he was capable of.

my thoughts and well wishes go out to Keyur’s family, and everyone else he touched during his life.

Dear Keyur,

Hey Bro…hope all is well where you are—wait a second, why wouldn’t it be? No matter where you went you would fill the are with light and happiness—heaven is truly lucky to have you. Guess God missed you too much—totally understandable.

It was hard to visit your website. I remember getting emails from you all the time telling me to check out your updates, and it was so much fun to read your blog. I always marveled and commented on your very witty writing ability.

I can’t believe you’re gone from the physical world. Do you remember how we became friends? You were my MSN Messenger chat buddy for so long… it was so wonderful to have a cousin who I could totally open up to. You were an amazing listener—you would sit there and listen to me go on and on about a particular guy I might have been seeing, and you were always there with sound, uplifting advice. I’ll never forget that.

My heart really goes out to your parents who must be devastated beyond belief at this point. I’ve honestly never met a son who loved his parents as much as you did. You remind me of that character in the “Ramayana” who carried his blind parents in buckets suspended by a stick on his shoulders. You wanted to do so much for them, but what you didn’t realize was that by just being you—you did it all.

Keyur, I want you to read this and know that you were a good-hearted, gentle, selfless soul. I remember the many times we’d chat and you would lament and feel guilt over hurting a particular person—when in fact, the reality was that person was hurting you. You were that selfless—you always worried that your actions would have hurt someone—never doubting the pureness of others.

You rock Keyur. I’m saddened beyond belief that you were taken so abruptly from this world… but I can’t wait to see you on the other side.

Love,
Shal

I can’t believe my dear Keyur gone !
His father being my very close friend,he was just like my son.More than that,he was the one who not only introduced me(at 66) to the computer science
but always walked with me to understand computer whenever I needed.At that time he was in school but seeing his devotion,he was sure to be the professional in that line.But alas ! God took away his heartware.Whatever softwares he made of his love will ever keep running in our hearts.MAY GOD REST HIM WHERE HE MAY COMPLETE HIS MISSION.

Hey Keyur Beta,

This is your Nitesh beta from Zamunda! I can’t believe that you are gone! I tried calling you many times during the summer but couldn’t get
a chance to talk to you. I wish I could have talked to you! I am sure that you are living your life to the max in heaven just as you did here.

Keyur, you were my Computer science guru! Remember all those programming classes we took together! You truly inspired me to be what I am today. I will never forgot the road trip Tim and us took to El Paso. It was silly of us to camp outside in the the night without any camping gear!

Keyur, I feel truly blessed and fortunate to have known you. Uncle and Aunty, Keyur loved you very much. He would always talk about you and about how he missed Bombay and his childhood.
God bless you Keyur.

Love,
Nitesh