ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There was no shortage of hugs and tears Monday on the campus of Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg.
Students and faculty were mourning the death of Mohammed Haitham. The 2018 graduate was one of three sailors killed during this past Friday’s shooting at the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Haitham is being recognized for his heroism in helping to stop the gunman in Friday’s shooting.
That’s no surprise to those who knew him.
“Muhammad was a sincere kind of soul,” said Lakewood Track Coach Anthony Snead.
Snead, who coached Haitham for years and was still close to Haitham says he still can’t believe it.
“I feel like I’m in a dream. I feel like I’m in a long nightmare,” he said.
Haitham, who graduated in 2018, was a track star for the Spartans. He played basketball too.
“I was sincerely proud of this young man,” said Snead. “He was continuing to stay on the path to success. You know, I think he’s going to be missed dearly.”
Throughout the day, Pinellas schools had grief counselors available on the Lakewood High School campus for students and staff. The school is still considering its own memorial ceremony for Haitham. They’re working on details for a candlelight vigil that's likely to be held at the high school next Monday.
“Mo” as they called him, was well liked by his classmates and teachers. Respected by his teammates, and even helped manage the girls’ basketball team.
“You know, they’re sad,” said Lakewood High School Assistant Principal Susan Alvaro.
“At this age it’s hard for them to kind of hold in their emotions. You know, he was that guy that everybody loved. That everybody knew.”
Coach Snead says Haitham was like a son to him. A rising star with unlimited potential. Now, unfortunately, he says, none of us will ever know the success he might have achieved or the man he would have become.
“Reflecting on this weekend, I can’t go to his marriage. And you know, I can’t meet his children and things like that. I think that’s what hurts the worst,” said Snead.
“Maybe that was God’s gift to us. Just this treasure amongst us,” said Alvaro. “That he was an everyday hero. Not a one moment hero, but every day he lived - he was a hero.”
What other people are reading right now:
- The city of Pensacola, Florida, is being hit by a cyber attack
- FBI investigating deadly shooting at NAS Pensacola as an act of terrorism
- Child with cancer reunited with parents after court battle over treatment, mom says
- This is the first Florida man convicted under the state's 'red flag' gun law
- ‘He spent 40 hours on the phone,’ couple says they got the runaround before getting a $1,000 refund from AT&T
FREE 10NEWS APP:
