In Loving Memory of Esther Suen

DIANA LI
News Editor

On March 22, Mark Keppel High School (MKHS) senior Esther Suen died after a hiking accident at Eaton Canyon. One of her friends, MKHS senior Taisei Sasaki, was injured with a fractured arm and leg and a dislocated shoulder. The unexpected tragedy created a nearly instantaneous wave of action across both social media and real life.
A Facebook page, titled “R.I.P. Esther Suen,” was created with the purpose of honoring Suen and “bring[ing] our community together as one during this difficult time,” according to the page description. People, even those who did not personally know her, were able to express their grief and share their feelings toward Suen on this public forum.
“I feel […] regretful to be given six classes in three years with her and still [not] bond with her. Esther, however, never hesitated to wave hello with a bright smile to me in the hallways,” MKHS senior Minnie Yu said. “How heartbroken everyone is reflects what an amazing person [she was].”
A memorial was held in honor of Suen on March 30 at Emmaus Lutheran Church and School, where Suen attended elementary and middle school. During the event, her loved ones spoke about their memories of her, including her love of food, her cheerfulness and her zest for life.
“Go!” Reverend Yvonne Boyd said at the memorial. “In the spirit of Esther, have your own adventure!”
Boyd, the presiding pastor, shared an anecdote about a sleepover Suen and her friends once had. During the sleepover, the girls watched Pixar’s movie “UP.” Boyd compared Suen’s passing to a line from the movie, in which a character writes, “Thanks for the adventure – now go have a new one!” Boyd emphasized the importance of moving on past the tragedy and celebrating Suen’s life.
“I […] wish more people had gotten the opportunity to have met Esther or known her better,” a Facebook post written by Suen’s close friends Lia Lee, Mallory Chen and Lisa Li said. “Esther […] had the ability to touch and reach out to so many people.”
Suen also demonstrated excellence in both academics and extracurriculars; she had been accepted to and planned to attend Cornell University. In addition, she was a long-standing member of MKHS’ diving team, having led the team to several CIF championships. Her achievements are numerous, but what people remember her by is her character.
“To me, [Esther] was always the kind of person who would always smile through everything,” Lee said. “No matter when times were tough, she always had that signature sunshine smile on her face, and that’s what people really recognized her for.”
As the community gathers to mourn the loss of a notable individual, Suen will always be remembered by everyone who ever knew her.
“Esther is interwoven through all of our lives, regardless of whether you were a close friend of hers or simply passed by her in the hallways,” Lee, Chen and Li said. “She will always be with us.”