Ordinary Sainthood the 21St Century Walk

Ordinary Sainthood The 21st Century Walk

So we ask the question... Ordinary Sainthood

What’s your Legacy?

The 21st Century The 21st Century Walk

To continue the works of Tamer... visit www.belikeTamer.com #belikeTamer

Tamer Tanious

Ordinary Sainthood The 21st Century Walk

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2021

Published by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church of East Brunswick belikeTamer.com This book is dedicated to Makayla and Kaitlyn - loving daughters of Tamer

Excerpts from the Sermon Given by Bishop David at Tamer's Funeral

In the Name of the Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit, One God Amen.

amer Tanious lived every day of his life in preparation for his last. I came Tto his wake and funeral preparing myself to comfort his wife, Marianne, and the rest of Tamer’s family, but their words comforted me. As I listened to Tamer’s friends and family during the services, I pondered whether I was attending a sad occasion or a joyful memorial. It was clear to me that Tamer set a standard for those around him, and I felt that I myself would be held accountable to that standard before God.

Although I took note of the wonderful things that were said during the services, I The 21st Century Walk find myself putting those notes aside and speaking freely. Two verses come to mind, one of which was mentioned during our gatherings:

“If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

the Father” —John 14:28. |

7 8 It is as if Tamer is echoing the words of Christ, explaining to us that there is no better | #BeLikeTamer place than to be with the Father. He says to us “If you loved me, you would rejoice.”

Another verse that I want to highlight, which was mentioned a few times during Tamer’s funeral, since it coincided with the Feast of Holy Epiphany, is:

“You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” —Mark 1:11

In the gospel according to Saint Mark, the reference is in the second person in comparison to that found in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, which reads “This is my beloved Son.” —Matthew 3:17. I am sure that these were the first words heard by Tamer from the mouth of our Lord Jesus.

I consider that Tamer is still serving until this day by his good example, and as we heard from many, this service is converting those with atheistic tendencies to come closer to the knowledge of God and to believe in Him, due to his love for the Lord. What an amazing person.

I did not know Tamer personally but have come to know that he was an exceptional human being in his love for God and that he inspired many people by his life’s example. I have heard many use the term Christlike. He was Christlike. Throughout the journey of our spiritual growth, I believe there are three phases that we experience: First, we look to the examples among our friends and loved ones, many of whom we may consider role models. Second, we begin to consider the lives of the saints of the church, whom we know to be of elevated spirituality. Finally, we strive to emulate Christ Himself. The Apostle Paul motivates us, saying:

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”—1 Corinthians 11:1

Tamer served as a role model to so many of those who loved him, and encouraged the people in his life to emulate the saints and our Lord Jesus Christ. He found joy in his life while doing good, fulfilling what the Lord taught and commanded in the gospel according to St. Matthew:

“for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me…”—Matthew 25:35-36 Tamer set his mind on doing something good for someone else each and every day, and that was how he defined his life. It wasn’t just something that he did, but it was who he was. A kind and generous heart who constantly sought the happiness and well-being of others. I’ve come to know that because of his love for Jesus, he did everything in secret, according to Christ’s commandments (Matthew 6:3), and now he is being rewarded openly through our sincere memorial to him, of course keeping in mind that his reward in heaven is much greater.

He lived every day of his life like it was his last, and thus was always ready. Our Lord allowed him to be an example to us, a reminder to ask ourselves whether we ourselves are ready. Are we living the gospel, striving to emulate Christ as Tamer did?

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”—Galatians 6:7

Tamer only sowed good, he sowed love and we witness the evidence of that today. The love you have all shown through your prayers for him is the result of the love he sowed throughout his life. He brought us all together in prayer and allowed us to comfort each other during a trying time, providing strength and support to one another and to the larger community, even those who did not know him, but will still learn lessons from his life. We all feel the magnitude of his loss, but our love for Christ compels us to be one family. We will remain united, continuing to serve in Tamer’s name and example, carrying the torch he lit and handed over to us all. We must emulate what he stood for, and continue to strive. His life continues to be an inspiration to many, and we also must continue to serve, inspire and demonstrate God’s love after his departure.

Tamer was just one person, but made a tremendous impact. He wasn’t a prominent deacon, wasn’t well-versed in hymnology, nor a theologian or a member of the clergy. He was an honest person, a true person like his master and Lord Jesus Christ. His life stands as a reminder of the impact one person can have on so many, and The 21st Century Walk reminds us of the responsibility of living as beacons of light like Tamer. His family have likewise lived as an example of steadfastness in their faith and love for God, despite their great loss. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

9 10 As an ambassador of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Tamer stood as an example and | #BeLikeTamer spoke about his faith boldly. As a man of compassion, authenticity and emotional intelligence, he touched those around him, and was a Christophorus (Χριστόφορος), or a “bearer of Christ,” carrying Christ in his heart wherever he went.

I want to thank you again for sharing Tamer’s memory with me, and to reiterate that we will carry forward Tamer’s example of love and compassion. As one family, we will continue to support Marianne, their beloved daughters, and all of Tamer’s family and loved ones. I am truly inspired by you all and by the support you have all shown and will continue to show to one another throughout our journey on this earth until we reach the Kingdom.

Glory be to God forever. H.G. Bishop David

Top Ten Things We Can Learn From Tamer by Fr. Mark Hanna

“That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” — Hebrews 6:12

1. Tamer taught us to love abundantly.

2. Tamer taught us to go above and beyond for others.

3. Tamer taught us to seek out the discouraged and the lost sheep.

4. Tamer taught us that feeding the hungry was important.

5. Tamer taught us to live life to the fullest.

6. Tamer taught us the art of negotiating for the purpose of helping others.

7. Tamer taught us to interact with our jobs as owners not just as employees.

8. Tamer taught us to learn how to pray.

9. Tamer taught us about commitment.

10. Tamer gave us reasons to be more like him and be “Tamer-ized. 12 | #BeLikeTamer

t is quite uncommon to start a book about a person’s life with their eulogy. IPerhaps that is the beautiful paradox of Tamer Tanious; It’s through his passing that we received a bold and revealing testimony of a man who gave his life to many while making sure his deeds remain seemingly unnotable, until the very end. We may have heard or read of stories about individuals who lived their entire lives in meager conditions only to have their deaths reveal the fortunes they’ve secretly amassed. Similar to those stories, this anthology is a collection of stories, poems, and letters whose subject is a man, Tamer, who collected his heavenly treasure quietly and diligently, while avoiding any special recognition. Tamer, however, was not motivated by anything other than a heart filled with so much love for God and His children that he saw his acts as natural byproducts of that love, undeserving of any praise. What was revealed in Tamer’s passing is the treasure of a heart molded after Christ, instinctively reacting to the needs of everyone he encounters.

Relatives, friends, and acquaintances all approached the weeks leading up to Tamer’s passing with sadness that slowly transitioned to awe. As stories emerged of who Tamer was to so many different people, a mosaic was coming together depicting a selfless person who was committed to leave a piece of himself with everyone. At first glance, you would clearly see Tamer in each of those mosaic pieces, but once the picture was completed and Tamer had passed, it was clear that the image we were seeing was that of Christ. Tamer’s approach to formulating this wonderful masterpiece did not require grand gestures or public ministry, he just chose to respond to act on every small opportunity he was granted to be Christ to someone.

The idea of this book stemmed from a realization that a saint lived amongst us who broke every mold and bypassed every hurdle we often associate with sainthood. Tamer is married, has beautiful children, led a successful career, and is known to be one of the most fun and charismatic individuals you would ever meet. Tamer’s life testifies to the truth that we can all be saints, regardless of our family status, vocation, and personality types. Tamer simply uncovered a path composed of small deeds, done with tremendous love, faith, and dedication. This anthology reflects these small deeds and encourages you to seek a similar path to Tamer’s. We hope that this book encourages you to create the mosaic of Christ in your life.

Be like Tamer. Share Christ! The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

CONTENTS

Eulogy of Tamer Tanious 17 Marianne Tanious 29 Tamer as a Young Child Growing Up in Egypt Amira Tanious The Joy of the Hidden Servant 31 Ave Ibrahim Introduction 33 Marianne Tanious Stories and Lessons 37 Friends, Family and Co-workers To Tamer, With Love 117 Dr. Hani Ashamalla 121 Through Your Death We Breath Hope Andrew Sharobeem Serving Others 125 Fr. Michael Sorial 127 The Top Five Lessons I Learned From Tamer Freddie Hanna Letter to Tamer 131 Maggie Hanna Outro 135 Marianne Tanious 137 Conversation Between Tamer and God Pishoy Yacoub You Blessed Us 140 Fr. Gregory Saroufeem

Eulogy of Tamer Tanious written and shared by his loving wife Marianne Tanious on January 19, 2021

want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love that we have received since Ithe start of Tamer’s hospitalization. I have read every message and I am so appreciative.

I want to thank our friends and family who have been with me in this from Day 1, whose first instinct when Tamer was hospitalized was to pray, and one day of prayer led to another, and another, and we had prayer meetings every night. And then every morning. I want to thank our friends who gathered in the hundreds (although we were about 200 dial-ins on Zoom every night, there were about 2-4 people joining from each dial-in, so 400 to 800 people consistently every night, and that was just 1 prayer meeting. We’re told that there were many prayer meetings all over the world The 21st Century Walk with thousands of people). I want to thank our friends who made it possible for Tamer to receive his last Eucharist on earth – both by physically arranging it and by ensuring that none of my doubts would get in the way; And I know that was a ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

miracle and directly from God, but thank you for allowing the Lord to use you and | for allowing me one less regret. These are friends who just showed up, who prayed 17 18 day and night, who advocated for Tamer, who were genuinely concerned for me | #BeLikeTamer and the girls, who made sure we were never alone, who poured out their love day and night, Friends who were with me in my darkest hour without me even asking; Friends who wanted to use any influence they had to help Tamer, in any way they could, Friends who stayed up all night making a video because they knew it would bring me comfort; Friends whose faith was so strong that they went to anoint Tamer even after we received the disheartening CT results, and I’m sure they would’ve had it been the Lord’s will; Friends who held Tamer’s hands in his final minutes. I will carry your bravery, support, and compassion in my heart always. “Well done good and faithful servants1.”

I want to thank Eugene & Donna and all the Ashley FDE family. I have repeatedly said that I imagine when they began FDE they never imagined that its purpose would be to serve God in this way. But the Lord saw their hearts and had other plans. I am sure many of you have heard that the Ashley FDE Mission statement states their purpose is to honor God; for an organization to have this mission and explicitly state so is unheard of in the world we live in today. So thank you for providing a company that strengthened my husband’s faith. He made sure to share that mission with everyone he knew and it was the Ashley feature he was most proud of. This made him bolder in his beliefs, and in turn has made me bolder in mine. Listening to you pray taught me how to pray. I hope that you continue to be even bolder. I’m sure it will not be easy but I am certain you will find a way. And you will continue to be successful, and Tamer will be at the helm, with our Lord, guiding you.

I also want to thank Abouna Mark2 who has been diligent and consistent in leading us in prayer every night during our prayer meetings. Abouna called and came over everyday. You are an amazing father, Abouna, and I know the Lord will reward you for your service. Thank you to all the fathers who joined us and offered up prayers and praises.

My sister, Maggie Hanna, thank you. Maggie has been an amazing physician and sister to Tamer. She advocated for him, made sure he had the best care, was at his

1Matthew 25:23 2Abouna Mark is arabic for Father Mark Hanna, St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ side during his final hours, held his hand, and participated in the last conversation he had. She put her job on the line and boldly went above and beyond. I know how hard this has been for you, Maggie, to be both the physician and the family member. If you ever doubt your career choice, know that God allowed you down this path for this very reason. And I am certain He will continue to use your compassion and boldness to help others.

Bishop David, thank you for being here today and for allowing this blessing of a liturgy on the Feast of Theophany. I know that this does not normally happen and I am forever grateful. I did not plan for this to be today, but I am certain that the Lord wanted to send us another message, to tell us that he is looking at Tamer now and saying “this is also my beloved son in whom I am well pleased 3”

I ask that you all carry on Tamer’s legacy – love one another. Once you love one another you will know what to do.

I will try to be as coherent as possible, and if the emotions start running please know that it’s because I miss Tamer and I am forever changed by this and broken in many ways I can’t explain. But there is not a doubt in my mind about where Tamer is. If all the stories we have heard were not enough proof, my confirmation was the wind that uncontrollably shook our house and the single bolt of lightning that lit the skies the minute Tamer physically departed to our Lord, which was witnessed by myself and several friends. Other confirmations include the fact that Tamer departed to our Lord on the 40th day of being hospitalized. Another was the shared and overwhelming feeling that overcame all of those who were gathered with me at the house when the CT results returned with disappointing news. It was a feeling we all likened to what the disciples must have felt right after the crucifixion of our Lord. But as Pishoy beautifully pointed out at that moment, unlike the disciples then, we already know how this story ends; We know we have joyous salvation. If we The 21st Century Walk have learned anything from all of this, it is that there are no coincidences; God was writing this beautiful story. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

3Matthew 3:17 19 20 One beautiful Cairo Friday in September, the sweetest baby boy was born. A year | #BeLikeTamer and 3 months later, and only 3.5 miles away, an ordinary girl was born. You would think there would’ve been a million opportunities for them to have met, but the way God authored it, it would be another 22 years and 5600 miles before their journey begins.

In my fog over the last few weeks it has been hard to search my mind for any memories of Tamer. So strange to think that after spending 14 years with someone, you can’t find a single thought, but that is the weight of grief, I guess. And then I remembered that for our first Valentine’s Day he asked me to document our story in a book. I wonder if he knew how badly I would need it one day; so typical of his generosity that even when he asked for a gift he would find a way for that gift to benefit someone else. So many have been asking about how Tamer and I met. I think all these stories that have arisen about Tamer’s generosity and kindness perhaps made people think that our lives were also supernatural in some way, including our love story. But we were just ordinary people; my husband just happened to do extraordinary things.

Tamer and I met in May 2006. I had gone to a Bible study at St. Mary and St. Antonios Church in Queens, and afterwards, I went with a group to what I thought was going to be a restaurant, but it turned out to be a Middle Eastern lounge of sorts. Tamer wasn’t at the Bible Study but he showed up to this lounge in his red Toyota Solara, a convertible, with 3 girls in the car and a tabla. You can imagine the immediate impression I had of him (although I would later learn how presumptuous I was, because in my entire life with Tamer, I had never seen him drink alcohol or smoke). We didn’t speak a single word to each other but lyears later he told me that he knew from that night he knew that night that I was the one he’d spend the rest of his life with. The following week, to everyone’s surprise including the lead servant of the Bible Study, Dr. Samir, Tamer showed up to the actual Bible Study. This time he came with a new blue BMW 645 convertible and no accompanying girls. He approached me, in his confident, fearless way, and said: “Who are you and where did you come from?”

The following months contained the most amazing persistence I had ever seen from a person. I was intrigued although most of my intrigue was masked by me asking mutual friends to keep Tamer at bay. Even when Tamer was direct and asked pointed questions like “What do you think about us?”, my response was “I don’t” (a total lie by the way that I would admit to later on). It was his reply that really struck me, “It’s OK. I know if God wants us to be together, we’ll be together.” He was only 24 years old, but more of a man than those double his age. And when he confessed his love, how could I resist? I’m sure most people thought this was crazy, that we went from friendship to love to engagement to marriage, all within 15 months. I recall one evening while engaged, I was at his house and he was on his laptop, zoning in and out of sleep (as he was known to do). Hours went by and after an uneventful night I went home. A friend stopped by and told him, “Tamer are you guys sure? This is nuts, how fast this is happening.” And Tamer replied “I know her. She is my heart. Watch, I’m going to call her now and she’s going to be so mad that now I’m still awake.” And that’s exactly what happened.

Life with Tamer has been absolute sweetness because that is truly his essence. He gave me two beautiful girls, Makayla & Kaitlyn, who will carry on his generous spirit, his sense of humor, his lightheartedness, his desire to be the protector, and his love for God. His fearlessness and desire to connect with all people was inspirational to watch. I already see all these qualities in both of them.

Tamer was full of surprises. He introduced me to Andrea Bocelli and Hauser. He knew how to play the piano. And he was one of the best swimmers I know – everyone who ever challenged him for a swimming race lost. He had the most beautiful smile, and when he laughed my heart danced.

His emotional intelligence was unparalleled. He knew how I felt without speaking a word. He would just come and sit next to me, put his arm around me with his giant, warm hands, and suddenly all the world’s problems melted away. I think that will be what I miss about him most. Perhaps it was that same emotional intelligence that made him realize we were destined to be together in our first encounter without The 21st Century Walk any exchange of words. That same emotional intelligence that made him relate to everyone he encountered.

He loved getting people together. He would always make plans and invite as many ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

| people as he could. He wanted everyone to feel included and loved. Even if he 21 22 couldn’t be there, he would set up a plan for everyone else. Most times he would sit | #BeLikeTamer there quietly observing and when he said something it was either the funniest thing you’ve ever heard or words that added significant value to the gathering.

He was an exceptional example of what a good and faithful husband should be, and in doing so, he set an amazing example to our girls for qualities they should one day seek to find in a husband. I’m sure many of you have often asked Tamer to make plans and have heard his response, “Let me check with Marianne” or “Whatever Marianne wants.” I would tell him to stop saying that because people may think it’s emasculating, and he would reply “Why? Am I less of a man because I want my wife to be happy?” And that was the thing – his goal was always to keep me happy. He would often ask me if I was happy or what he could do to make me happy.

He ended every phone call with “I love you” and I would say “Don’t just make it a habit, I don’t want it to lose it’s meaning.” And he would say, “But I mean it more every time I say it.”

He taught me how to be a peacemaker; even when people were unkind to him; It didn’t change his love for them. When I would ask him why his love remained for them, he would say “Because it’s not about me and them, it’s about me and Him.” Truly he is a son of God for that alone, for it is said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.4”

He taught me how to live within my means, how money didn’t mean anything, and that we only needed enough to cover ourselves and that any abundance God gave was meant to be shared. Even his name bears beautiful significance. Tamer, which translates to “someone who is spiritually rich”, beautifully lived up to his name, more than his parents could have ever predicted or imagined.

He taught me that the key to happiness was to never expect anything from anyone. That way, when you are offered even the smallest thing you would be that much more grateful.

And that when you give. you should never expect to be given anything back, not even gratitude, but that sometimes this blessing would come back to reward you. I

4Matthew 5:9 know now that he was right, because in me sharing him with you all, I am blessed with seeing a piece of him in each of you and I can’t tell you how much I need that.

He taught me that people were meant to serve and love each other, and friendships were supposed to be based on just that, love. No hidden agendas, no sneakiness, not based on rank or what someone could do for you. Just pure love.

Whenever we walked into anyone’s home, the first thought in his mind was “How can I make this person’s life or home better.”

He taught me humility without speaking a word, all from watching his actions. He never took credit for anything he did. He truly never let his left hand know what the right had done. And on the rare occasion that he was caught in the act, he would just look down and nod if you tried to thank him.

He taught me to never want to be better than anyone. Anything good we had, he wanted the whole world to know about and share it with him. There was no competition, no envy, and it didn’t matter if this was a coupon for ice cream, or six flags season passes, or a house on the market. He made sure everyone he knew, knew about it.

He taught me that even helping in the smallest ways was all you needed to do. He used all his time, talents and treasures. He continuously pushed himself further each day.

The only person he ever wanted to be better than was the person he was the day before.

He taught me how to be simple, to enjoy life’s little pleasures, because now when I look back, those little things were truly the big things. Even when he bought his luxury cars, or his jet ski, or his Tumi bag, it wasn’t to show off or to convey a certain status. It was because he absolutely admired craftsmanship in detail and quality. The 21st Century Walk

For years everyone wondered how we made the drive between NJ and Long Island, but those drives contained some of our most beautiful moments and memories. On ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

those drives we had some of our best talks about life and our dreams for the future, | about raising our children and growing old together, about projects he had going 23 24 on at work, about Shady’s many adventures which he tried to convince me were | #BeLikeTamer good ideas for him to be involved in. And of course, we had to stop at an Ashley HomeStore5 along the way , sometimes more than one. God forbid we left the house without stopping at an Ashley store. He was simple. He didn’t need much to make him happy; Even being in the car with his family for a couple of hours satisfied him.

No matter what hardships we faced, Tamer’s faith and trust in God brought us through. I’ve had some health scares over the years, and he would always say “Marianne what is worrying going to do? When it’s your time, it’s your time. And besides you cannot die before me because God knows I could not bear to live without you.” No, my love, it is I who cannot bear to live without you. But he did promise that he would come back to haunt me if he passes on first, so I’m going to hold him to that promise.

When I found out he had departed to be with our Lord, my heart shattered, and I thought the pain would stop. But all those broken pieces continue to miss him. I did not think it was physically possible to feel this much pain. I know how beautiful the arms of our Lord must be, because Tamer never would’ve parted with me otherwise. And in my anguish and ridiculous thoughts I was mad at God, and jealous that He has Tamer now. But I imagine what must’ve happened.

Tamer arrived at the gates of heaven, and obviously saw what no eye has seen, and heard what no ear has heard. And in typical Tamer manner, he must’ve told God, “Can I go tell some of my friends about this?” And God must’ve said “OK Tamer, how long do you need?” And Tamer answered as he always does, “Lord it takes 30 days to make or break a habit.”

Tamer always says it takes 30 days to get used to anything. If you notice Tamer was in the hospital from December 8 to January 8 when we found out his results- exactly 30 days. And in that time, we truly did make a habit, we learned to pray like we never have before. How foolish of me to think that I was praying for you, my love, when you were actually praying for me, for all of us; your generosity continues.

5Tamer was the Director of Merchandising at Ashley Furniture HomeStore of Metro NY & NJ And I’m sure Tamer then said “But Lord I heard my wife say at the first prayer meeting that my works are not finished. I want to make her proud.” And God answered, “Don’t worry, Tamer, I will show her that they were finished, and she will be so proud.”

And the stories started pouring in about his goodness and kindness and generosity, and continue to, and something tells me we’ve only just touched the tip of the iceberg. And I could not be more proud, habibi6.

And then Tamer said “But Lord she looks so sad, how can I leave her?” And God said “We have 30 days. I will provide comfort for her. I will surround her with my faithful servants who you were wise enough to choose as friends. Who you were wise enough to choose as colleagues. This is your reward for choosing to honor me even in your work. I will prepare her for what’s coming. Surround her with these friends and colleagues who will teach her how to pray and seek me, for the Holy Spirit is the Comforter. And in time she will learn to be happy again through the peace I give her.”

And then Tamer said, “Will I see them again, Lord?” And God said “Everyday. Every time they call your name. And I will be there with you and with them. Until they come to Me and to you in this heavenly Jerusalem.”

I’m sure God assured Tamer that He would reveal to me His care for me and the girls even more than before, and with Tamer’s prayers for us, Tamer would continue to look after us from above. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk

6Habibi is arabic andi translates to “my love.” 25 26 Whenever Tamer planned an outing or an event, such as jet skiing, he would always | #BeLikeTamer say to me “Habibi, do you have everything you need?”, making sure that myself and the kids were OK, and he would go ahead prepare the set-up for everyone else. We would catch up with him later and everything would be very beautifully prepared by the time everyone got there. So why would preparing a place in heaven for all of us be any different? So yes, my love, I have everything I need. Although the world feels a lot scarier without you and I don’t know if I’ll ever breathe without it hurting again, I am comforted knowing you will always watch over us. You left me an inheritance of friends and family, including your parents from whom you got your faith and peace and strength; Especially your mom, who was the source of my comfort in my attempt at comforting her. There is nothing richer you could have given me. I have everything I need. Please go and prepare a place for me and our girls, for all of us, until we can catch up. You will have my heart until my very last breath. I will carry your legacy always in myself and in our girls, and in all those I encounter.

In one of our first conversations I had asked him why he was so interested in me and he said, “Because I love you, because you know how to do everything yourself although I would never let you, and the main thing is that I know you’re going to bring me closer to God.” Here I was though: I went to church, I went to Bible Study, prayed when I had time, and I definitely drew the line at reading the Book of Revelations or talking about heaven or death. Whenever anyone died my first question was “How?”, as if I could avoid the same fate if I knew the details. The thought was that I could hide from God, and not that if it was your time, if your oil had run out, God would surely find a means to bring you home. I wanted to live on earth forever. In one of our last conversations, literally just weeks before this happened, I was talking to Tamer about an issue I was having and he wasn’t exactly seeing it from my point of view, or so I thought. And when I said to him “You never take my side!”, he replied “My job is not to take your side, my job is to lead you to salvation.” He did see my point of view, but it didn’t matter, it wasn’t his “why”; his goal was my edification. The goal was eternal life. How ironic that Tamer, who wasn’t a full deacon, who wasn’t a Sunday School teacher, who wasn’t a Biblical scholar, who thought that I was going to bring him closer to God, was the one to make me desire eternal life and heaven more than anyone I’ve ever met. I’m no longer afraid of death or the Book of Revelations. I will make sure that myself and my children are ready when that day comes and I will welcome it with open arms and open eyes. We went from our first conversation of him asking me to bring him to God and 14 years later in one of our final conversations, it was him who brought me closer to God. Tamer, in his sickness, made me desire nothing more. I was the lost sheep, and through you, God saved me, Tamer. Through you, He’s saved and saving so many. People who were atheists, when they messaged me and asked what they can do to help, I replied “If you are going to believe that there is a God and that He can do the impossible, this is the time. Please pray!” To which they replied, “I believe and I’m praying.” You did that, Tamer. I am mesmerized and humbled and in disbelief by how far you have come. Well done, good and faithful servant. Good and faithful husband and father.

I will never understand why God chose you for me. I don’t know what I could’ve done to be so worthy of you and to become one with you for all of eternity. I’m not sure what God was thinking, and I hope to one day ask Him. Though in a moment of sorrow and deep pain, I thought that I wish we never met. But we both know that’s not true. I would rather live a day with you and endure the pain of your loss, than 100 years without ever having met you. Thank you for a full life, for every moment well spent. You have been a good and faithful husband, father, friend, son, brother, cousin, colleague, and most importantly, servant of our Lord. Go in peace, my love. I love you forever and always until my very last breath, until we meet again.

The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk

Tamer as a young child growing up in Egypt narrated by Tamer’s mother, Amira Tanious

amer Tanious was born on September 11, 1981, in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt. TTamer was a very quiet infant, which was very unusual. He was so quiet that his grandmother used to check on him every couple of hours to make sure that he was still breathing. He grew and attended St. Joseph Catholic school with his sister for one year and then transferred to St. George Catholic school afterwards to begin elementary school.

Tamer quickly developed a reputation for helping out his teachers and it seemed that it was in his nature to provide a helping hand to just about everyone around him. He was a very simple and quiet boy who hardly got into trouble. At 8 years old, Tamer volunteered to deliver groceries for the local grocer near his home in Egypt, just to help his business and serve his customers. Academically, Tamer did well, but that was not what got him recognition, rather it was his diligence in helping others. In fact, during the third grade Tamer’s report cards and progress reports rarely SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk 29 30 mentioned how he was doing academically, but rather described how he helped the | #BeLikeTamer gardeners, janitors, and teachers with whatever tasks they worked on.

Around the age of 10, Tamer helped with the construction of St. Mary’s church in El Nozha, Heliopolis, in Cairo. He would sweep the dust, move the stones, clean after the construction crews and would continue to help until very late at night. We urged him to come home at a reasonable hour, but he insisted on staying late at night until he finished the work that needed to be done. As the years passed and he became a teenager, Tamer’s kind deeds did not stop and he continued to show an extraordinary sense of connection and empathy toward others, actively seeking to help others in need and prioritizing serving them over the expected cares of a boy his age.

We were not enthusiastic about migrating to the United States so when we received our immigration visa, we waited for the very last day before the visa expires for us to travel. Tamer, along with his sister, did not want to come to the United States either and wanted to remain in Egypt. We finally decided to move to the US on September 19, 1995, to join the rest of our family. Tamer was 14 years old at the time.

Tamer’s new address did not change his demeanor. He continued to be simple, quiet, kind, and helpful to Tamer and his sister Sandra everyone around him. He spent all his time in church and going into his adulthood, whatever he did, he did with tremendous commitment and effort. The Joy of the Hidden Servant by Ave Ibrahim

“For a man to do good in complete secret… the only explanation is that he is truly following Christ.”

A scroll through Tamer Tanious’s social media profiles wouldn’t reveal pictures of service in Zambia or Bolivia. It wouldn’t reveal daily devotionals or biblical passages. It would probably portray an average doting father and a car enthusiast who happens to really enjoy the cellist Hauser’s covers of pop songs. His pictures would convey joy, a sense of humor, and perhaps even self-deprecating silliness. If there were two head deacons trying to fill a roster of other deacons to compete against each other, Tamer would probably not get picked within the first 10 rounds. There are no talks or sermons attributed to him; No blog posts either. I think that’s what confused various people when encountering the outpouring of love and prayers for him in his last days The 21st Century Walk with us. He pulled it off! His testimony broke the recent mold of what it meant to follow Christ in our communities, and thank God for that. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Tamer was able to convince the world that he was nothing more than others so | that he can maneuver his way into properly serving us. Dodging self-righteousness 31 32 and all forms of vanity, he would discretely and effortlessly serve as if on the | #BeLikeTamer mission field, because it seemed that each day was his mission field. It’s convincing and brilliant. Tamer seemed to have eliminated all our precepts of ministry, and just served. His demeanor never reflected any element of self-importance, allowing Christ to be front and center. He offered Christ to everyone through a smile, a welcome, or an act of intimate care while making sure he remains just the messenger.

“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” —Therese of Lisieux

What Tamer has done, is revive a hidden small path to sainthood, simple but concealed. It does not require amassing theological degrees or adventuring through mission expeditions; just tremendous love and selfless acts of hidden service. That was his asceticism. He thought of himself less, becoming a child eager to love and serve, finding ways to dwell in the joy he thanked God for and making sure he had as many people with him to join in on the fun.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 18:2–4

And as a lesson to us all, God allowed us to witness the glory of this small hidden path that Tamer took through the impact on the many lives intertwined in it. As if to further drive the paradox of the least becoming the greatest, and the hidden becoming openly rewarded, God gave us the blessing of knowing Tamer to see the true joy in self-denial, picking up the cross, and following Him. That following Christ and carrying the burdens of yourself and others can be done with an infectious smile and a spirit of laughter. Axios, Tamer. Introduction written by Tamer’s loving wife Marianne Tanious

here are saints living among us. They’re often disguised as ordinary Tpeople. Ordinary people who are often indistinguishable from others at surface-level. Ordinary people who do everything in silence and secret, only to be noticed once we’re no longer distracted by our own lives and look up. And when we reorient ourselves to pursuing God, their motives and actions become clear. We might even catch them in the act. Otherwise, we overlook these people, sometimes we even misjudge them. Because to us, they’re just one of us. They might own jet skis and luxury cars, enjoy traveling and going to the movies, and perhaps even enjoy listening to some popular music. We might perceive their normalcy or common humanity as an indication that they are less “godly” than we are. But because of God’s love for us, He offers us glimpses into who these saints truly are so that we may The 21st Century Walk bear witness to their lives and the dwelling of Christ in them, as unworthy as we may be. And if we are blessed enough, we’ll get to encounter them in some way, even for a moment. In my case, that moment lasted a little over 14 years. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY In one of my early encounters with Tamer, he walked into a restaurant to meet | with a group of friends. Before proceeding to join us, he spoke to a waitress with 33 34 his usual contagious smile. When he sat down, his friends all complimented | #BeLikeTamer him for his seamless charm and we all thought he was perhaps flirting with the waitress, since the conversation he had with her was not heard. And when the bill came, and the waitress gave him a separate piece of paper, everyone assumed it was the waitress’s phone number and cheered him on for his accomplishment. We walked out of the restaurant, but Tamer said he would join us later. Everyone thought he stayed back to continue the conversation with the waitress, and in my mind this perfectly fit the narrative I had of him - he was the jet ski owning, luxury car driving, ladies man with little depth. My mind was made up, but God had other plans.

A few moments later I realized I left a scarf in the restaurant, and with a long walk ahead through enormous New York city blocks, during possibly the coldest night of the year, I had no choice but to go back and grab it, although I tried so hard to just continue on without it. As I walked back, I saw Tamer outside, kneeling next to a homeless person. He was the same homeless person we had all passed by on the way in hours earlier, and on the way out minutes before. In Tamer’s hand were boxes of warm food, and I heard him say to this cold homeless man, “Jesus loves you.” I stood in silence, filled with awe and amazement at this 24-year-old man with a heart of gold, the man who I severely misunderstood and undervalued. Tamer finally stood up and was shocked to see me standing there. I had caught him in what was supposed to be his secret. Everything made sense at that moment. The extended conversation with the waitress before joining us was regarding the order of food he would later serve to this homeless man. The extra piece of paper given to him, was his second receipt for that extra meal he ordered. Throughout our dinner, Tamer was mischaracterized left and right, but he kept silent, careless of the impression he was leaving on me, but careful of the blessing he wanted to receive.

I was speechless but was able to utter a few words. I asked him, “Why didn’t you just give him money?” His response was, “Because he’s worthy of food. I didn’t just want to throw money at him. And if he’s on the streets that probably means he has no family or friends, he needs to feel loved!” Those words resonated with me so much. There was something so beautiful about seeing his desire to make a stranger feel worthy of love. That glimpse into Tamer changed my life forever. What I didn’t realize was that those glimpses had been shared with so many people. Almost everyone he encountered had inherited a piece of him, of his kindness, and his goodness and generosity.

When I picture saints, I think of icons of holy people who lived many, many moons ago and whose stories are remarkable. They encountered the likes of Diocletian and Nero. They shed their blood for Christ, and they kept the faith for us. Tamer didn’t do any of those things. He wasn’t a full deacon, wasn’t a Sunday school teacher, and didn’t know the Coptic language. But Tamer now lives amongst these saints. Because Tamer bore witness of Christ, as saints do, and was a walking Gospel. He just chose a path seemingly ordinary to us all. I invite you in these coming pages, to glimpse into what we’ve all discovered about Tamer during his time hospitalized, right before his passing.

We often struggle with how to embody Christ, how to become Him for others, in a world with increasingly very little room for Him. Can we be Christlike today, in this day and age? Accounts of Tamer’s life point us towards the possibility of carrying out this mission, joyfully. And may you come to enjoy Christ through him as so many have, and in doing so, may you bring others to Christlike Tamer. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

The spiritual person “feels that his life belongs to everyone. HH Pope Shenouda ” 38 | #BeLikeTamer He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given. Proverbs 19:17

n the fall of 2013, I learned that Tamer had withdrawn our 401k. When I Iasked him the reason, he refused to tell me, but only asked that I trust him. You can imagine as a wife, the thoughts that ran through my mind. After months of many trying to intervene to convince him to say what he did with the money, I had to decide whether I could live without ever knowing. And I decided to trust him for the man he was. In December of 2020, while Tamer was in the hospital in a coma, a man reached out to offer his thoughts and prayers. He gave me his name and said I’m sure Tamer had mentioned me. I informed him that Tamer had never mentioned him and I apologized for not knowing who he was. He proceeded to tell me that in the summer of 2013 he had lost his job. The loss of finances had led to problems with his wife with talks of divorce. He also had two children in college who thought he was a loser because he could not afford their tuition. Tamer had been helping him try to find connections for a job search, and had been emotionally supporting him, taking him out to dinner, etc. One night the man called Tamer and said that things had become too unbearable and that he decided he would no longer want to live and was just calling Tamer to thank him for being there for him. Tamer asked him to meet. He gave him a sum of money and told him that this was not from him but from God and so he would never have to pay it back, but that he should start his life over and know that Jesus loves him. Tamer’s generosity, both financially and spiritually, saved this man’s life.

Shared by Marianne Tanious If your brother becomes poor and weak in strength among you, then you shall help him. Leviticus 25:35

week after Tamer departed to our Lord, I was driving with our children Ato see Tamer’s family. We stopped at Dunkin Donuts on the way. This is a Dunkin Donuts that Tamer frequented with our kids on the way to school and work, and so the woman in the drive-thru recognized my children in the back seat. She asked me if I was Tamer’s wife and I said yes. She asked where he had been since she hadn’t seen him in a while (Tamer had been in the hospital for 40 days prior to his departure). When I told her, she became hysterical and kept screaming “No! That man was a saint.” Coworkers inside gathered around her and were equally saddened by the news. I was stunned that this would be the reaction of someone in a drive-thru.

What possible interaction could they have had with Tamer to react this way? She came to meet us outside and told us that she once had mentioned to Tamer, after he started a conversation with her, that she was tired because they had only one bed at their home, shared by a family consisting of one husband and three children. So she was tired because a good night’s sleep was not possible for her. Upon learning this, Tamer provided beds for her three children. He had also been giving them money to pay for their bills. And when he didn’t come to the drive-thru in those weeks, she assumed that he had perhaps lost his job and was too ashamed to tell her he couldn’t pay her bills.

Tamer used to joke with me and say that if he passed away first, he would come back The 21st Century Walk to haunt me. Stories like these, even at drive-thrus, do ensure that he’ll always be around as he promised. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Marianne Tanious 39 40 | #BeLikeTamer Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Matthew 5:42

uring the pandemic, St. Mary’s Church in East Brunswick created a Dstudent lounge for the college students where they could take breaks while studying. Father Mark had mentioned in the liturgies that they would like to provide snacks for these students. The church began receiving “luxurious” snacks as Father Mark described it. Every Monday night there would be another drop-off made, and no matter how many times they tried to figure out who was sending them, they could not. The drop-offs changed to delivery service at some point in December (around Tamer’s hospitalization). After Tamer’s departure to our Lord, they were able to learn from the delivery service that these were being sent by Tamer. He had secretly been providing an overabundance of top-quality snacks. As Father Mark stated, he had announced this request in five different liturgies, but only Tamer had responded.

Shared by Marianne Tanious Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister to it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:9-10

ears ago Shady, Tamer’s best friend, called me one beautiful Saturday Ymorning and all I thought was, "What ridiculous request will this be?" Of course I had to answer, curiosity can be a dangerous thing. I was right, it was a ridiculous request. First, he sweet-talked me, then said "I need a favor...well, Tamer does." I was ready to say no before he said Tamer’s name.

Shady said "I’m going to electronically send you money. I need you to take out that amount in cash, a large sum, and go to this address and go give it to a guy!" Anyone who knows Shady, knows he lives for these kinds of pranks and the potential response I’d give. So I did what any normal person would do, I laughed and said "Good one!" And hung up. They were both on a trip together, so I thought they were just calling to joke around, and I went back to sleep.

Later, my phone rang again but this time it was Tamer, saying, "Hey George, can you do this for me?" Off course he offered more details than Shady did.

I got up, went to get the cash out, looking over my shoulder the entire time, and went to the address Tamer gave me. As it turned out, it was a mechanic shop, likely one that Shady recommended. I called Tamer back to confirm the address and the details. Tamer told me that I was at the right place and that I should go in, look for a specific guy, ask for an invoice, look over the car, drive it around and ask for the list

of work done on the car, then take the car to his parents house where I was to leave The 21st Century Walk the car.

Later that day, Shady called back and thanked me for doing the task. He explained that it was for someone that needed to repair their car but wasn't in the country due ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY to a death in the family and this person was coming back the next day. I was amazed | 41 42 and I just sat in silence. This is Tamer's heart. He | #BeLikeTamer wanted to make sure this person did not have one more thing to worry about, regardless of the cost, because the cost amounted to nothing juxtaposed to the love Tamer had. Tamer has an incredible ability to empathize and respond to any individual’s needs.

In my mind I thought of all the barriers that would prevent me from doing this services for someone. I thought of the amount of money involved in this act of love, the inconvenience of actually driving the car to this mechanic, and whether or not the recipient would ever return the favor. But it was clear that Tamer either ignored all of these thoughts, or has trained himself over the years to not even let them exist. I'm glad I answered. I'm glad I was a part of that, it actually brought joy to my heart.

I've learned so much from my big brother, Tamer, and I pray that I have his heart when faced with similar situations. "What would Tamer do", has overtime become an expression synonymous to “What would Jesus do?” as Tamer was a Christlike human, an image of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lived among us to charter a path for living a life embodying Christ, and I am forever grateful for his example.

Shared by George Fahim Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

oing the extra mile was an everyday occurrence for Tamer. What would Gbe extraordinary for me was ordinary for him. When I am given the opportunity to do good there are a myriad of thoughts that go through my mind and I try to find any excuse to discourage me. With Tamer there is no thought, he simply just acts and because he acts with love, God rewards and removes any barriers for him.

I remember one time on our way to our annual camping trip, about 5 years ago, we encountered a car pulled over on the side of the road needing help. We must have been about 15 people driving in 4 cars, all very excited to go camping and looking forward to some good times. I remember Tamer's car was the lead car and he made a U-turn and pulled up behind the car that was pulled over. The rest of us naturally followed. Tamer started to spark simple conversation with the lady in the driver seat because he wanted to help. It turned out to be a mom with 2 younger daughters who were waiting for a tow truck. Tamer had to be very clever because you can imagine her apprehension seeing 15 men come out of cars to "help".

After Tamer broke the ice with his comforting demeanor, we started trying to diagnose what the problem was. I remember Tamer taking control and being an amazing role model while including all of us to help and take part of this blessing. We didn't have jumper cables so Tamer waved down another car to borrow cables and tried to jump-start the vehicle, but that didn't fix the problem. Then Tamer The 21st Century Walk thought it may be that the car didn't have gas, even though the gas meter showed that it did. He went to a gas station, bought a canister, filled it with gas and put it in the car, but that also didn't fix the problem. He asked me to check the fuses. While I ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY did that I heard him speaking to the mom and the 2 girls. He was comforting them | 43 44 and giving them life advice! He was saying things like be good to your mom, go to | #BeLikeTamer college, and study hard! He even offered the mom a job at Ashley HomeStore, where he worked, because she seemed to be unhappy at her current job. Sadly even with 15 grown men attempting to help, we were unable to fix the car. At this point I was ready to move on since we had done everything we could. That's not what Tamer had in mind, he wanted to wait with them till the tow truck came and that's what we did. In Matthew 5:41 we read "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two." He lived this verse daily and did it with such simplicity and love, this account was just one example of it.

Shared by Shady Samuel for I was hungry and you gave Me food. Matthew 25:35

f you are willing to discover and align yourself with God's plan, He will bless Iyou more than you can ever imagine, and He will open doors that you never would see otherwise. This will lead to joy, peace, and a hope that you may have never experienced before. You will then have the potential to see the path and purpose God has planned for you. Tamer always had his ear open to what God had to say to him and Tamer listened. He not only listened, but he’d respond in action. And more importantly, he acted in secret. God rewarded Tamer on earth and in heaven. In Proverbs 16:9 we read " A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." Tamer was led by true empathy for others. Moved by the experience of others and placing himself in their shoes, he would joyfully and authentically serve.

I remember one summer night in 2018 going to Manhattan to eat at the famous Chicken and Rice food truck. We stood on a very long line and Tamer ordered about 5 extra plates. I was confused, I just figured he was taking food for later. I was wrong. He then searched for the homeless and gave them the fresh hot food he was waiting on line to receive. You would think an act like that was charitable enough, but not for Tamer. He then engaged with them in conversations to ensure their dignity and value was recognized. He tried to put a smile on their faces and tell them that Jesus loves them.

Tamer would always go the extra, extra, extra mile. He lived this proactively and daily. He didn't wait for a "food drive" event to give. It was on his mind all the time. He’s taught me that charity is a way of life rather than a convenient opportunity. Tamer is my role model in this virture and desire to have the same spirit of charity he embodied. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk

Shared by Shady Samuel 45 46 | #BeLikeTamer Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

amer was very happy and enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved his Tconvertible high-end cars, his boats, and his jet skis. A key point to remember was that although he enjoyed them, he wasn't attached to them, but truly shared them with others. He saw them as either things which are beautifully crafted or tools for wonderful experiences to share. But these items never amounted to goals or sources of true value for him. Tamer’s life was a true testimony of how to appreciate God’s creation, in all of its beauty, and still seek unity with Christ and others through Christ as the ultimate goal and priority. He preached the Gospel and had an incredible time doing so.

Our annual September camping trips were always a blast. There were so many fun memories created on our 2017 Trip. Tamer, of course, brought his jet ski and boat for all to enjoy. He spent lots of time making sure everything was in perfect working order for the group. While transporting the boat from New Jersey to Connecticut, Tamer had a flat tire on the trailer. Tamer, always thinking of others first, took from his time, money, and energy to go fix the trailer, while we enjoyed his boat and jet ski. He would not let anyone go with him because he didn’t want to dampen our experience. He brought out all his toys and didn’t care about using them. He was just satisfied knowing we were having a good time. In1 Timothy 6:18, we read "Do good, be rich in good works, be generous and be ready to share." Tamer lived this verse. How beautiful would the world be if we all fulfilled this command like Tamer.

Shared by Shady Samuel Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10

went to the ECCYC convention back in 2005. I had recently moved into the Icity and while I was going to Manhattan church, I still didn’t know many people. At that same convention I reconnected with Marianne as we had gone to Rutgers together. At that time, she had been going to the youth meetings in Queens, so she knew everyone from that church and she was kind enough to introduce me to the group.

As we all hung out at the convention, there was a moment when someone came rolling up in a Red Porsche Cayenne and other than the car, I immediately noticed the driver, it was Tamer. From the moment I was introduced, there was never a dull moment, nor was there a second when we weren’t laughing. I think at some point we had left to go get Wendy’s blasting Arabic music. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Marianne would come to the city and stay over, and we would head to church meetings in Queens and hang out with the youth. I am constantly reminded of the great memories that were created and now realize how they have profoundly impacted my life.

One of the first glimpses that I had of Tamer's character was at the time of the Queen's Thanksgiving dinner at St. John’s. I was not able to go due to car trouble! What most did not know was that it was already a very The 21st Century Walk depressing time for me. Moving into the city and not knowing anyone really left me feeling immensely isolated. I chose to sit on my couch ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY wallowing. I then got a text, and it’s Tamer | 47 48 with a car full of stuff, outside my apartment, attempting to pick me up on the way | #BeLikeTamer to the dinner. At the end of the event, he graciously drove me back home. I was so unbelievably touched by his behavior! He barely knew me. We had hung out only a few times. Why would anyone go out of their way for someone they hardly knew? What I’ve come to realize is this was who Tamer is. He made everyone feel important no matter how well or how little he knew them. He never wanted anyone to feel like they were left behind.

Once again, a week later, there was the Manhattan potluck and although I lived on the other side of the bridge and Tamer had a car packed with people, he picked me up on the way to make sure I could attend!

I am privileged to have known him even if for a short while.

Shared by Lydia Samaan-Hanna To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes

Job 6:14 the fear of the Almighty.

t’s impossible for me to put into Ithe words what Tamer means to me. What an honor to have a best friend embody all the characteristics that many try their entire lives to obtain. I am blessed to be able to have had his influence during our years together. Tamer is the most selfless, and caring person I’ve ever known. He always prioritized the interest and needs of others. I’ve never witnessed him try to manipulate any situation for his own personal gain. Tamer was always willing to help, no matter the situation.

I first met Tamer back in 2000 when he had surgery on his spine at New York University Hospital. I didn’t know him at the time but went to visit him as part of our church ministry. Little did I know that he would become the one that would be my role model in every aspect of life. As years went by, we grew closer, mainly because of our enjoyment of outdoor activities, especially when it was water-related. He knew how to bring people together. I knew to tag along knowing I would have a great day regardless of what came our way.

Tamer had the extraordinary ability to change any negative situation into a positive one, making every day an amazing experience. He managed to get people The 21st Century Walk to smile everywhere we went. He was confident and courageous. He knew what he wanted and was always able to get it with his charm. Tamer had an incredible fluence on others. He is the only person that would tell me to jump and I would ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY ask him “How high?” | 49 50 I respected every word that he’d say. This was very easy to do because he truly knew | #BeLikeTamer God as compared to many of us who just knew of God. I will miss him immensely, but I know that he is now my big brother in heaven preparing the way for all of us that still have work to do.

Tamer, your legacy has managed to pull me so much closer to God. I would never have imagined the amount of time that I am on my knees in prayer now. I am forever indebted to you. I am confident you are in heaven. It’s my confidence in this truth that allows me to pass through the days ahead.

It is my job now to be more like you on earth. And I can now look forward to the day I inherit the Kingdom and share that with you. I love you, brother and until we meet again, please pray for me.

Shared by Shady Samuel A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 52 | #BeLikeTamer If you serve God, He will pay you. Give heed to yourself. my son, in all your works, and be disciplined in all your conduct. Tobit 4:14 LXX Tobit

rowing up, Tamer was a big brother to me. He was very close to my brother GRany, and my friends Shady, Mark, Pishoy, and Mike. Any knowledge of cars that I have is because of listening to them talk about their own automobiles over the years! I found myself hanging out with Tamer and the crew every Friday night after Bible Study. These were awesome nights filled with pure fun. On numerous occasions, when we would be out late, Tamer would get a phone call from my dad, the priest of our church, to check in on us. Tamer truly was the most responsible among us!

I have an especially funny memory on the night that I matched for med school. Tamer and the guys wanted to take me out that night to celebrate. Tamer was so insistent on spending the night together, that I ended up leaving my class party early just so I could celebrate with him and the rest of our group. He ended up taking me to Astoria. At first, I didn't understand why, but who could resist middle eastern food and dessert. Soon I realized the reason. He wanted to take a picture of me next to a hookah lounge and send it to my dad! Always the prankster! Of course, he never sent the picture, but I'll never forget the fun we had that night! The best part of the story is that neither of us ever indulged in hookah, Tamer managed to always keep his fun edifying and never a distraction from Christ. We were in a setting filled with so many vices, did not partake of any, used only the good it offered, and had the time of our lives.

Shared by Mina and Mariam Makaryus Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

was one of Tamer's Sunday School servants at St. Mary and St Antonios IChurch before Tamer grew up and eventually moved to New Jersey. We did not keep in touch often, and only saw each other once or twice a year. On January 17, 2009, my house burned down and we began the process of rebuilding, which as anyone can imagine was a very stressful process. The reconstruction took about 6 months and in the end, we were at the point where we needed to start buying furniture. Out of the blue, Tamer called me to ask if I needed any help with buying the furniture. At the time, I did not know what Tamer did for a living. Tamer asked me to pick all that we wanted from Ashley and just send him the model numbers. He arranged everything, including the delivery, and all at a great price. He went as far as acquiring items for us that were not even sold by his company. After the delivery and installation, he made sure to check in with me often, and he even took the time to personally deliver some replacement pieces. in with me often, and he even took the time to personally deliver some replacement pieces. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Yasser Abdelmalek 53 54

| #BeLikeTamer Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

he beauty of our Tamer is that he was consistent. Consistent with his love, Tsympathy, positivity and generosity. I first knew Tamer as the best friend of my fiance at the time, Shady. And truly they were inseparable. Throughout the countless weekends at Oyster Bay on the jet skis, Tamer was extremely generous because I was a mere student with no way to offer a payment for the activities he’d include me in. While Shady went away for graduate school, I stayed behind. And during those years Tamer made sure I was included in every gathering and every activity in Shady’s absence. As life progressed, the unwavering love and exuberance of his positivity was without question. He was the Best Man at my wedding. And at that time, I didn’t know that he was actually that, the best man. Having an angel on earth is something we don’t always notice right away. But in my heart, I used Tamer as an example to be more kind in those unkind situations. He made it look easy. He was a jokester, but always managed to defend me when Shady would play a prank on me. Tamer would always come through and have my back. The continued friendship grew even more when our kids became a part of the equation. He did everything with his little girls and I admired him for it. As I try to come to grips with the reality of not seeing that smile or hearing that laugh, it pains my heart in an unimaginable way. But that angel on earth has become a true angel in heaven, and I feel beyond lucky to have someone in heaven to continue to look out for me and make sure I am included in all God’s plans and activities.

Tamer, I love you and I cannot wait for the day I can see you again.

Shared by Kelly Samuel Rejoice with those who rejoice. Romans 12:15

n December 2018, our family Iwent to Disney World for a week with Marianne, Tamer, Makayla and Kaitlyn. In order to book the vacation, of course I (Rania) had many things I wanted to do and things I wanted to see. Tamer sent me his credit card number and told me to book everything for them, whatever I wanted to do. He said talk to Marianne about it and you guys decide anything and just use my credit card. I kept joking about how I am going to go shopping now and he kept smiling and saying "have fun".

We arrived in Disney a day before them, right when we landed, I found out that I passed my board exam that I have been so worried about since I had attempted it one time before. When they arrived at the "happiest place on earth" Tamer decided to somehow make this magical experience even more magical for us.

As we stood in line for every ride, Tamer would yell "Rania passed her exam" to make people cheer and of course, embarrass me. We stood waving at characters during the parades and Tamer would wave at them and yell, "Rania passed her exam.” Again, at the restaurant Tamer would order the food and smile at the server and say, "Did you know that Rania passed her exam?" Tamer found a way to make The 21st Century Walk the most magical place on earth, even more magical. He filled our vacation with more beauty just because I had passed my exam. Even Mickey Mouse knew "Rania passed her exam." ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Mark and Rania Megalla 55 56 | #BeLikeTamer

A merry heart does good, like medicine. Proverbs 17:22

y husband and I met Tamer and Marianne about 2.5 years ago. At first, I Mautomatically assumed they were unapproachable given Tamer’s success and his fancy cars. Little did I know, they were the most humble, sweet, and caring people I’d ever met. They made us feel like we were family right away.

They never held back any tips or information about anything they knew or owned. We were doing some renovations in our home, and they both were pouring information insights on us: best handymen, best quality cabinets, best accessory stores, pictures for reference, and what they used for their own home but where to get even better quality and better deals than them. They shared all the information about things they have, but they were invested in making sure we got even better results than them. This is a very rare quality in people.

We hung out for a good amount of time at each other’s homes, at outings, and virtually on Facebook Messenger group chats for hours. Tamer was always the life of all our gatherings. He always had us in tears from laughing so much. He is so simple and loving with everyone. One time, we went for hibachi with a group of friends, and there was a couple sitting at our table. They were at least 20 years older than all of us. Tamer started talking with them, and somehow, we all ended up talking about our marriages, what matters in life, re-shaping our future, and past experiences. It was a major life lesson. I never laughed so much in my life. Apparently, from what I learned about him lately, that’s just the type of guy Tamer is.

A week before Thanksgiving, Tamer called saying that he was at Six Flags and he could get us any amount of season passes for all 3 parks and free parking for $20 each. He had us contact more friends, and we ended up asking for 25 season passes that day. He paid it all out of his pocket to get the deal right then, not waiting for the money upfront. We then got 15 more season passes the next day for more friends. He didn’t have to do any of that. But while he was enjoying a fun day with his family, he was thinking about friends who haven’t known him for long.

I always loved watching how Tamer cares for his family and all the effort and thought he’d put in to be there for them. Many times he would meet up with us alone with the girls to give Marianne some free time. He always made sure the girls were having a great time, tended to their every need, pushed them on the swings, kissed every booboo, and was silly to make them laugh. It made me so happy to watch.

Looking back at the little time we knew Tamer, I see the love of Christ in him. I remember he always refused to drink beer or wine, and I remember all the laughing we had without saying anything inappropriate. I remember all the happiness we all felt after spending a day with him, I remember the feelings of warmth, and deep fellowship we all felt around him. The past 6 weeks have brought my whole family closer to God. We have prayed like never before. We continue to pray like never before. We became closer using the stories we’ve heard about Tamer as examples for our daily lives. I pray that we become and continue becoming more like Tamer.

Tamer, you will forever be in our hearts and minds. We love you and miss you, brother! The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Anonymous 57 58 | #BeLikeTamer

Love is patient, love is kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4

amer always treated every person with respect and kindness. I never Tsaw him order food without asking the server, "How are you?" It was commonplace for Tamer to talk to a bus driver or a popcorn vendor. He treated everyone like he knew them, he treated everyone the way they deserve to be treated.

Shared by Mark & Rania Megalla Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Romans 12:10

e moved into our new house in 2019. The first time Marianne and WTamer came over we gave them a tour and, of course, with every room we walked into we’d share our vision for that particular area. Tamer would then follow and say, Call me first. I’ll find you the best sofa, chair, or whatever you might be looking for. We took him to the basement, and he noticed the glass of our fireplace table was broken. Tamer curiously had asked what happened. We said it shattered when we were moving and that it's not a big deal because it's just in the basement. The next time Marianne and Tamer came over, Tamer had the piece of glass to replace the broken one and went downstairs and installed it himself. It wasn't even from Ashley, it was from a different company, Tamer found out which model we had, the size, ordered it and brought it here without even letting us know.

We now get to remember Tamer's generosity and kindness every time we watch TV in the basement. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Mark & Rania Megalla 59 60 | #BeLikeTamer Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40

hile I have so many memories of WTamer over the past 25 years, one that stands out to me the most is of when we went camping in September of 2016. As everyone knows, camping was Tamer's favorite trip of the year. He would bring his boat and jet ski on the trip for everyone to enjoy. Tamer wanted to be surrounded by his friends. Things that brought them joy, brought him joy. On that trip, I developed a really bad fever; it became so bad, I was basically sleeping in the car the entire day. Someone called in a prescription at the local pharmacy and Tamer was the one, out of the 20+ guys, to drive me to the pharmacy to pick up the medication. While we waited in the pharmacy for the pharmacist to fill the prescription, Tamer went and got me a cup of water and tried to force me to eat something. This was Tamer’s event, and he left it all behind to take care of me.

As I am typing this, my brother Tamer, I mourn your departure. I miss your kindness and your warm heart, but I am comforted by the certainty of the fact that you are in the bosom of the Father in the heavenly Jerusalem. Intercede on our behalf. Till we meet again...

Shared by Pishoy Yacoub Indeed, almsgiving is a good gift for all who do it before the Most High. Tobit 4:11 LXX Tobit

t was Christmas time in 2019. We arranged Ito have a Giving Wall in our new FDE Ashley HomeStore corporate office. The Giving Wall was a place where our team members could ask for their Christmas wishes. Many of the young women in our corporate office were in tough situations, often financially and or emotionally. The Giving Wall gave all of us an opportunity to place our Christmas wish upon the wall in hopes of someone choosing your anonymous ticket and fulfilling the desired item. These items could be anything such as toys, winter gear such as mittens and hats, clothing, cell phone chargers, household necessities, or any great new gadget. In addition to asking for your Christmas wish, you also had the opportunity to give something away. If you had a specific talent or a personal item you wanted to give, you could offer it as a gift. The Giving Wall was accessible on a first come, first serve basis, where you could choose the gift items that were there or fulfill the wishes that were desired. This was all anonymous. We had one week to fulfill all the wishes and to choose any of the offerings that were contributed. On the very last evening before the deadline as I was getting ready to leave an empty building, I noticed Tamer by the Giving Wall. I wondered what he was doing. He did not want me hovering over him, but what I realized was that he was quietly checking to see what Christmas wishes were still not fulfilled. Tamer had realized that there were more than a few The 21st Century Walk wishes that were still not fulfilled and less than 12 hours to fulfill them. He then took it upon himself to purchase every remaining item and fulfill all of those neglected wishes. When I approached Tamer, his reply was that he wanted to make sure that ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY each person's wishes were granted. Nothing else mattered. | Shared by Janine Monize 61 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted. Ephesians 4:32

n 2019 I had a bad car accident and was very nervous to get behind the wheel Iagain. I waited until the last minute for me to purchase another vehicle. Tamer convinced me that the best time would be to buy before the new year began. So, I ventured into the dealership on Christmas Eve at approximately 11 AM. Tamer stayed on the phone with me to negotiate the proper deal until 4pm that night. Tamer was on the phone for 5 hours. He wanted to make sure that I would not be taken advantage of and spoke to the salesperson, the manager and the finance guy. I drove out of the dealership with my new car on Christmas Eve. Thanks to Tamer. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Janine Monize 63 64

| #BeLikeTamer But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Mathew 23:11-12

have worked with Tamer for almost 10 years. From the very first day, I knew Ihe was a good person. People were unsure of me in my new role but Tamer made me feel comfortable and welcomed me. He gave me a nickname very soon after I started working there to make me feel at home, “Tam Tam.” He would say, “She’s so nice they named her twice.” He would always greet me as Tam Tam!

He always helped in any way he could, trying to figure out solutions to issues that came up. We worked closely on many projects and store openings over the years.

A few years ago I had a flat tire, he not only remedied the problem immediately by volunteering to use his air pump and inflate my tire, but he then followed me when I took it to be repaired to make sure that the tire wouldn’t deflate and leave me stuck on the road. He then drove me back to the office and then back to the repair shop to pick up my car. He did all of this while managing his work responsibilities of the day via phone. That is just how he was.

When I moved into my new cottage two years ago, I really wanted a new tempurpedic mattress but couldn’t afford one. Tamer then identified an extra mattress in our inventory, with the same quality as a tempurpedic, and worked with our VP of Finance to bring down the price for me to one I can afford. I was very grateful.

He was always happy. I never saw him mad. We definitely got into discussions and I would be the one who would get cranky with him but he would always respond with a smile and calmness. He was a great role model for many. I will strive to be more like him in my life moving forward.

Shared by Tami Keyes For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints,

Hebrews 6:10 and do minister.

his is a picture taken on the eve of Tamer’s wedding, August 4, 2007, which Twe refer to in Egypt as ‘Leylet el Henna’. It’s an old tradition, claimed to date back to the Pharaohs, when the bride, the night before her wedding, along with the bridal party, and the ladies in the family, get tattooed using ‘henna’ and the boys take the groom out for a boys’ night out.

But Tamer and Marianne had a different idea. Tamer wanted the group to stay together and have one big pre-wedding party. It was a large group, and as the night went on the group got bigger and bigger. People were flying in to attend Tamer and Marianne’s wedding from all over the globe: the Middle East, Europe, the West and East Coasts of the US, everyone was there. Marlene and I were living in East Siberia at the time, so we were pretty ready for one, big, loud, and fun Egyptian wedding.

During that night, as the group got bigger and bigger, Tamer decided that it will be hard to find a place that could host us all, so he decided we should have a street party. Yes, a street party in New York!

We parked our cars somewhere in Astoria, and walked down the streets picking up hot dogs, burgers, Italian ice cream, pretzels, and sparkling drinks - whatever anyone wanted. The night went on till the early hours, until Marianne decided it would be wise for her and the bridesmaids to head back to the hotel for a bit of rest. We were

knackered as well. Tamer was not ready to head back, but he was keen to make sure The 21st Century Walk we all got back home safe. I recall that he made close to 12 or 15 drop-offs across Long Island in multiple rounds...on the eve of his own wedding!

Tamer’s love language was no doubt Acts of Service. I do not remember a single trip ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY to NY, where Tamer didn’t either pick me up from the airport or drop me off at the | 65 66 airport. I did not need him to do that, I always argued that he didn't need to, but this | #BeLikeTamer was one thing that brought him joy. Not just me. He was always there waiting for anyone who needed him. In his 39 years on earth, Tamer lived and gave more than anyone I know.

Tamer, the world will never be the same without you, but we know you are there beside Jesus, watching out for all of us. Life is not measured by how long you live, but how you lived. The way you loved, the way you gave, the way you cared, the way you led, the way you inspired and the way you believed, will continue to be part of the legacy you left behind. In our hearts, forever. I will miss you. I will miss your smile. You are a cousin who was, and always will be, a brother to me.

P.S. The clown gowns remain to be a mystery til this day, I am afraid!

Shared by Amir & Marlene Gerges Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is ]food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and John 6:54-56 drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

n 2008, Tamer and Marianne flew down to Tampa to celebrate Mariam and II getting engaged. This experience will remain one of our funniest inside jokes with Tamer. At our reception, at the Island Way Grill, on the dinner tables, the sign said "Linda & Mina's Engagement." An obvious mistake and no one knew who “Linda” was. So Tamer walked up to me and said, "Does Mariam know about Linda?"

From that point forward, Tamer always called Mariam, "Linda!"

The night before Tamer went on the ventilator, I was facetiming with him through Maggie Hanna, his sister-in-law, to assess his breathing status. He was sitting up and had an oxygen strapped to him. He said that he felt fine and his breathing was ok. I asked him to make sure that he is honest with us about his breathing because I know Tamer doesn't complain. I was in the car with Mariam, and she told Tamer that we love him and are praying for him. He smiled, even in his sickness, and said, "Thanks Linda!"

Tamer never lost his joy even in the midst of the sickness, and we know this is because of his deep faith. It's comforting that Tamer held on to the Lord till his final wakeful moments. His last request for us was that we all pray, and his final request for himself was to receive the Body & Blood of Christ. What a beautiful way to end this earthly journey in preparation for the heavenly kingdom!

Tamer, we will miss you so much! Thank you for your contagious smile and constant The 21st Century Walk joyful spirit. We love you and can't wait to see you again soon! ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Mina & Mariam Makaryus 67 68 | #BeLikeTamer And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:41

amer would receive so many calls everyday, yet he always answered my Tcall, even on his day off. I would say “I’m sorry” and Tamer would respond, “Anything for you, Ethel.”

I remember less than a year ago, a customer, whom I think was the Mayor, called to say some pieces of his order were missing and other pieces were damaged. The customer was so upset, he was having a party and needed the pieces before the party. I called Tamer, all I expected Tamer to say was that he would try to locate some of the pieces, but the customer called to tell me that Tamer called him personally and promised to make everything right before the party.

In retail we never make promises, but Tamer did and he delivered. Within a couple of days, Tamer managed to find every piece, before the party, by going to each of the different franchises. This is Tamer. He goes out of his way to make others happy and make things happen, and never says no, never. His heart is of Christ, never angers and always grateful.

I will miss him, but I know he is near, like Christ, and I can still talk to him, and he’ll answer. That is Tamer.

Shared by Ethel Bartoli I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24

had the privilege of working with Tamer for the last three years. One evening Iwhen working in the store together, I mentioned to Tamer that my Low Tire Pressure Light was on and had been on for quite some time. I was nervous that I would have a flat tire driving in the city so I would stop every few days to put air in the tires and check the pressure gauge. Tamer responded, “Give me your keys, I will go fix it.” We bantered back and forth, I didn’t want to inconvenience him and told him I would take it to a dealer and get it looked at. He insisted as only Tamer could. and I finally gave him the keys. Tamer returned about an hour later. He told me he had checked the tires, all was good, but the light was still on. He said “I’m going to figure it out for you, don’t worry. It’s okay to drive on it tonight.” We left the store and went our separate ways. I woke up the next morning to an email Tamer had sent at about 3AM. He had taken down the make and model of my car and googled the issue and found out there was a button to reset the computer that would turn off the Low Tire Pressure Light. I was thankful and grateful for Tamer’s commitment to being relentless and wanting to do anything he could to help someone else out. He was a giver and never missed an opportunity to serve others.

Tamer, my friend, I will miss you. But I am thankful God allowed our paths to cross. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Rachael Barger 69 70 | #BeLikeTamer Sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all forever. Daniel 3:61 LXX

y fondest memories of Tamer were from our California trip where we Mdrove up a mountain and he insisted that we sleep in the car so we can watch the sunrise. He pursued God’s beauty fully without compromise. There were four people crammed into a car overnight. Although I woke up angry because I was uncomfortable, it was impossible to be angry at Tamer for long because the sunrise was worth it. And with Tamer there were always sunrises.

Tamer, I regret not maintaining our friendship over the years but those memories and so many more will sustain me until we meet again. I will cherish them and use them to treat people the same way you did.

I am honored to have been your friend. You were indeed Christlike. You were a consistent person with everyone you encountered. A kind, generous, reliable, helpful and loving person. You were a gift from God and I thank God that our paths crossed.

God, you truly work all things together for good to those who love you, to those who are called according to your purpose. In both his life and sicknesses, you used Tamer to bring people to lift their hearts and eyes to you. You used Your humble son to change people in dramatic ways; to seek You, to depend on You, and to experience You.

Tamer, you are the brother I never had, the friend I inspire to be and the true Christian I will imitate, just as you have imitated Christ.

Shared by Rosaline Astefanous I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Mathew 25:36

ainthood is not achieved by doing miraculous or extraordinary deeds Sbut through the accumulation of small extraordinary acts of love and kindness. I recall one day, all of us were gathered at Tamer’s house for some fun and fellowship. It was perhaps my second time being in his house when in the middle of the gathering Tamer completely disappeared for an hour. I thought to myself, “Where did this guy disappear to?” I remember thinking, “What is so important that someone would leave guests at his house in the middle of a gathering?” It wasn’t long before Tamer came back and I looked at him and said, “Where were you buddy?” Reluctantly, Tamer said “Oh I just went to drop off something at Joe’s house.”

You see, that day, Joe, a mutual friend who was part of our group, couldn’t join us because he was home alone, sick. Later I found out that Tamer, in his usual love, ordered food and chicken soup, went to the store, picked it up and dropped it off at Joe’s house. Most people would feel good about themselves if they just called someone who is sick to ask about them. They would think they are extraordinary if they ordered something to be delivered to the house. Tamer however cared with all his heart and was willing to sacrifice his time and energy to make sure he invests fully in caring for someone. What’s extraordinary about Tamer is that he was generous not just with his money, but with himself. He was generous with his joy, time, and his love. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Mina Azer 71 72 | #BeLikeTamer For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

his is a story of Tamer simply being Tamer (along with his girls, Makayla Tand Kaitlyn). He not only completely turned a rough day around for me, but also made me feel lucky to have him in my life as a friend, first, and also as a business colleague.

I was first introduced to Tamer in 2013, as a sales vendor for Tempur-Pedic at his Ashley HomeStore licensee, Factory Direct Enterprises (FDE). We became fast friends, talking or texting almost daily, with the majority of the topics not being work related. He was so easy to get along with.

In 2017, my company was introducing a new corporate car policy to all sales reps, as we tend to drive a lot for our jobs. At the time, I had an affordable car with over 200K miles on it, but it ran great. Tamer somehow knew about the program before I did, and given his love for cars and helping others, he immediately contacted me about buying my old car when I received my company car. He was looking to help out a cousin of his who both needed a car, but couldn't afford one at the time, so Tamer wanted to surprise him with it. This was classic Tamer helping others! He always loved a good deal, but he also loved a fair deal, so when I offered to give it to him for $300, he said "My final offer is $500!"It was a done deal!

The day I was going to give him the car, I was having a miserable day. I was driving to his house in East Brunswick after a long work day, through Long Island summer traffic, and was just in a grumpy mood overall. I arrived at Tamer's house, and all I wanted to do was go home. Tamer wasn't having any of my mood!

"Come in, Ryan, you have to see all of the renovations we're doing, and you have to meet the girls. Do you want something to eat?" After a 45 minute house tour of his beautiful home, eating multiple snacks (even though I said no) and having the girls spying on us and giggling all throughout the house, my mood was obviously starting to lift! Next, we gathered up more snacks, sat on the jet skis in the driveway with the girls, and it was time for him to give me a ride home, since he did just buy the car that I drove there. We had the convertible top down and drove 45 minutes to my home near the beach in Highlands, NJ. The ride was an absolute pleasure, we cranked up the radio, the girls made me sing songs with them, we stopped for, yet another snack and took the long way home, so we could drive along the beach. We were having a blast! I showed Tamer a great park near my house where he could take the girls and he dropped me at home. And we parted ways for the day, but not before I received three HUGE hugs, one each from Makayla, Kaitlyn and Tamer. He even called me when they finally made their way home so the girls could say they had a fun day. The feeling was mutual, I also had a wonderful time!

That night, as I laid in bed, I remember feeling blissfully content. I remember my exact thought was "How lucky am I?" Tamer was not only my most important business colleague, but also someone I truly considered as family. He was a wonderful friend who I could contact anytime I wanted, about anything, and I knew he'd be there for me. My life is better because Tamer was a big part of it, even for a short time.

My love for him and his family will always live on. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Ryan Holsey 73 74 | #BeLikeTamer But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [a]perfect and complete, lacking

James 1:4 nothing.

’ve known Tamer for many years, as we grew up in Queens church together. ITamer was a constant for me growing up. He was close friends with my brother. He was always there at every event. He was like a second brother to me.

There is one story that remains embedded in my memories. Last summer, we were at a pool party and there were so many kids. I was standing at one edge of the pool basically telling the kids to stay away from the deep end. My sentences were getting progressively louder, I was really worried about the kids slipping under our radar and drowning. Tamer was on the other side of the pool. I turned around to him, frustrated, and said “Tamer I can’t believe this.”

He looked at me and responded, “Sherry I already saved like 10 kids,” in the most calm and collected voice accompanied by his famous smile. I remember feeling so shocked. I was shocked at how many children he said he saved. But most of all, I was shocked by his humble, calm, and sincere response. As if he just put his worries in God's hand and trusted in God. He was our guardian angel in the water.

I pray and wish that we can all be a little more like Tamer, always smiling, calm, lighthearted and trusting in the Lord that everything’s taken care of by Him.

Shared by Sherry Megalla Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4

ummers with Tamer were especially fun. We would frequently be at his Shouse, getting ready to go out with the jet ski to Oyster Bay. Tamer would gather us all there and take us out for rides on his jet ski. Tamer's joy did not come from actually jet skiing, but rather his joy was the fellowship we had when gathering together. Tamer took care of everything from filling the jet ski with gas, cleaning, to even barbecuing on the bay. Tamer's zeal for life was super contagious. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Mina & Mariam Makaryus 75 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

'm one of the youth from St. Mary and St. Antonios church in Queens. I didn't Iknow Tamer very closely but I do vividly remember his involvement with the Superbowl fundraisers for Light for Orphans as well as times when he would stand in front of church asking people questions for the Coptic Youth Channel (CYC). He was (and is) always enthusiastic, smiling, and full of life. This showed us that a life of holiness and service didn’t have to be strict and boring and full of frowning. Life is exciting when you live for Christ, and Tamer is proof of Christ's words when he said:

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." —John 10:10

God bless your good works and your love, Tamer. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Anonymous 77 78 | #BeLikeTamer Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

’m a believer that it doesn’t matter how many times we are around someone, Iwhat matters is how we feel when we do spend time with them. Any moment I spent with Tamer and Marianne was always filled with immense joy, refreshing hospitality, a comfort in my heart, and a yearning to keep them there forever.

I was able to come across a video from a wedding both Tamer and I attended in May of 2018. I was in a group and I saw Tamer from a distance and felt compelled to leave the group abruptly just to go to him. He made me laugh right away. Tamer had this infectious presence that made you want to be near him. I’m so thankful my husband was taking random videos that night of all of us because I have a moment frozen in time of exactly the effect Tamer had on everyone he came across, and essentially summing up the type of person he is.

There are many beautiful, heart opening verses that remind me of Tamer and this experience. But if I had to choose one it would be the following:

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:16

Tamer, you brought hundreds of us together for prayer and subsequently strengthened our faith. What started out as a nightly plea to God to keep you here turned also into a nightly plea for God to keep working on all of us and to help us open our eyes to your ways, Tamer. To help us adopt them. To help us love like you. Because of this I find myself yearning to be more aware, more accountable - to work on stopping in my tracks, being honest with my thoughts, stopping mid-sentence, thinking before I speak and rerouting my words and actions. I yearn to grow in this journey that you’ve so naturally trekked, joyously and selflessly. You have shown us that it is possible. It is possible to live Christlike; that there’s no excuse not to. You’ve proven that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” You are my inspiration, my role model, and my mentor. You have touched all of our hearts forever. Your light will continue to shine always; how blessed are we to have known you, whether for a moment, a year, or for decades.

Marianne, Kaitlyn, and Makayla, I pray that you are always warmed and guided by Tamer's eternal light and I pray that you realize you too are a light; our light. We are indebted to you. You have our hearts forever. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Nancy Sharobeem 79 80 | #BeLikeTamer For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose Mark 9:41 his reward.

amer had taken his team to Dave & Busters for our team Christmas TLunch. Once we finished eating, Tamer got us some play cards through a connection he had. We played for a while, had a great time and when we finished, we went to see what prizes we could get with the tickets we had won. I saw a nice mug that I wanted but I did not have enough tickets for it. I asked the man working there if I could pay for the balance in cash. He said they could not take money for it. Tamer also tried and tried but the answer was still no. I let it be and got something else. Well, we know Tamer does not take “no” for an answer. We all walked out and were waiting and waiting for Tamer outside. After a while he walked out and handed me a bag. Inside the bag was the mug I wanted. To this day, I do not know how he got it, how he managed to convince them, but he did it.

This memory, I have to say meant the most to me. I had to stay home from work one day because both of my daughters had the flu. Tamer and another colleague then ordered dinner for my family from Boston Market (the favorite lunch spot for Tamer and I). I received a text from my colleague saying there was a special delivery by Tamer on its way. Tamer then showed up to my house with an extremely generous amount of food and cookies.

Shared by Cynthia Ramos Give, and it will be given to you . Luke 6:38

his story is one of my favorites. Tamer used to bring in all of Marianne’s Told clothes when she didn’t want them anymore or if she bought too many from her favorite stores. He would always bring them into our cafeteria with a “Free” sign attached, and all the girls would jump at the opportunity. One time I picked up a teal Calvin Klein dress, and whenever I would wear it to the office, Tamer would joke to suggest that Marianne was following him wherever he went. He saw everyone as an extension to his family, so it made sense that Marianne’s clothes would eventually move from her closet to ours. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Nadine 81 82 | #BeLikeTamer Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Mathew 5:9

ou have taught everyone so much, but for me what sticks out most is the Yimportance of being a peacemaker. You were a peacemaker in every sense of the word and therefore a child of God. Forgive me for being hard-headed and not granting your wishes, I get it now, I do.

Thank you for the wake up call. I will do my best to be better. Learning more about you over the last few weeks tells me we can all do better. I find joy and rest in knowing that you beat us all to heaven and that you are in the presence of our beautiful and awesome God. I pray with all my heart we unite soon and I can’t wait for that day. Pray for us, Temo.

Shared by Jessica Lancen Wahby Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2

’d like to share the first time I met Tamer. I met Maggie, Tamer’s sister-in-law, Imy first year at Rutgers University and immediately we became sisters. She always talked about her beautiful family. Marianne and Tamer had just bought their house in East Brunswick. We were studying for an exam and Marianne, always being so kind and generous, told Maggie to bring her friends over for dinner and we can study at her house. A mutual friend of ours and I went over and we ended up falling asleep on their couch. The next morning Tamer came down (he had come home late from work the night before so we didn’t see him) and found us on his couch with blankets over our faces. Very confused, he asked “Why are there two bodies on my couch?” We threw the blankets down and replied, “Hi! We’re Maggie’s friends.” Tamer, always being so funny and witty, replied “Hi, Maggie’s friends!” He then proceeded to make us breakfast and coffee even though we told him we did not want anything. This speaks volumes about his hospitable character and love. From that day on, Maggie’s family became my family.

Tamer, may we all reach your purity of heart and join you in Heaven one day. Pray for us in Heaven and say hello to all our beloved up there. This is not “goodbye”, but “see you again,” my friend. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Sandra Haroun 83 84 | #BeLikeTamer

Let all that you do be done with love. 1 Corinthians 16:14

nlike many who have known Tamer for multiple years, we've only known UTamer for a few months before his passing, yet we got close really fast. His approachable and warm personality made it so easy for us to build a beautiful friendship and gather together often. Tamer made us feel loved and special in his own way. He put everyone's needs and happiness ahead of his. While you were at his house, he’d make sure you're taken care of, constantly asking if you needed anything and when he went to anyone's home, he never wanted to trouble anyone. Tamer never wasted a day off from work and instead of relaxing, he always planned something for his girls and would take our girls along. It was so often that we always joked about when they're going to sign the adoption papers.

We love how spontaneous Tamer is. One day after one of our girl’s birthday parties, which ended around 10pm, Tamer suggested going to Astoria to one of his favorite places to have a "guys night out." By the time we made it there, it was after 1AM because he wouldn't leave without making sure the house was spotless first. Due to COVID restrictions,everything was closed. We laughed so hard at ourselves for driving an hour to find everything closed, but we still wanted to make the best of it. While walking around we passed by a closed restaurant and I mentioned to Tamer briefly that we love the Konafa Napolsia (dessert) from that store, then proceeded to plan the rest of the night which ended in Paterson and leaving at 3am. Few days later Tamer and Marianne went to visit Tamer's parents and I got a call from Tamer that they bought us the biggest tray of that dessert I mentioned. They didn't stop there, they bought one for everyone in our group and delivered them by hand to each household.

Tamer was a role model as a father and always wanted to take his girls out whenever he had time off. One Saturday morning he called and asked me to take the kids and meet him at iPlay America. "Tamer, I am watching soccer and my kids are distracted in the basement, why would I ruin this me-time luxury."He laughed and said "Okay I will come take them." That was Tamer’s way to get you to move. He would lead in example with such passion that you’d be forced to follow him. I had nothing left to say but that I would meet him there. We were two men with five kids, and most of the kids needed an adult on each ride due to height restrictions. Of course Tamer volunteered me for that job. Tamer had invited Joe, a mutual friend, and his three boys to come with us but as Joe approached, his youngest son, Gabriel, didn't feel well and Joe wanted to take them all home. But Tamer offered to have Joe’s two other children stay and enjoy their time. I was standing next to Tamer after just getting off a rollercoaster with the kids and I looked at him with shock and said, “Two men and seven kids?? And I am doing all the ride-alongs? I will die from the exhaustion!” Tamer just looked at me and smiled and said his famous words,"It’s okay, it’s okay. We will handle it.” I was amazed because I felt that even if I wasn't there he would have still handled the day alone. But he always wanted everyone around to participate and to learn how to help others and be there for one another, doing it with a happy heart.

We went on a couples’ vacation to Crystal Springs resort for the weekend and we were all fasting, so we ordered Thai food. Unfortunately, we got the wrong order and we ended up with multiple orders of different meats. We all suggested throwing it away, but Tamer said, “No, I am sure someone will take it.” Tamer's first instinct was to give the food to someone. We all argued with him saying that no one will take it since it was 9:00 PM and everyone was scared of COVID. He insisted on trying anyway and walked in the hallways and asked the people in the hotel, but no one agreed to take it. We all gave up and told him, “Ok we tried. Let’s just throw it out now.” He then took the food and went downstairs to the staff at the front desk and they indeed were so happy to take it. He made their day! We were truly amazed by his commitment to not waste any food and how much time he was willing to spend trying to do the right thing!

He always thought of others, when we went to six flags, they had a promo on season passes, so we all thought of who from our families would want some and bought accordingly. Tamer however bought 20 more season passes than he accounted for, and we were confused by it. He said, "I am sure someone will want them.” We later heard that he gave some to his mechanic and his co-workers. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk

Shared by Mina Gendy 85 86 | #BeLikeTamer Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Ephesians 5:1

t felt like Tamer's main purpose in life was to care for the needs of others. IWhenever Tamer would see me without my husband he would call to check up on him. My husband had a couple of years of being overwhelmed with school and work so those phone calls really encouraged him and kept him focused. I remember Tamer was so patient with all the children . At my daughter's 5th birthday party, the kids were sad that the party was over. Tamer, being such a joyous person, disappeared for a few minutes and then showed up with a bowling kit for the kids to continue playing. Such a beautiful gesture, one that my daughter still remembers to this day! She does not remember much of her party but does remember bowling with her friends and Tamer.

Tamer, you will be missed, but I’m sure you are in a better place. Please pray for us.

Shared by Mariam Yousef And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 88 | #BeLikeTamer Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10

first met Tamer at St. Mary and St. Antonious Church, 18 years ago when I Ifirst came to the United States. He noticed that I was by myself as a young teen. I remember it being very difficult for me to blend in with the others since they knew each other for a long time. Tamer stepped in and did what he does best. He made it a point to include me and took me under his wings and introduced me to many people who with time became my friends. As a teenage girl this had a lasting impact on me. He was one of a very few people besides the elders of the church who included me and made sure I felt loved and cared for.

As I got to know Tamer more, he continued to prove himself to be such a beautiful soul. He never showed off that he was so successful and important at his work. I remember him receiving an award at his job. When I congratulated him he downplayed it and made it seem like he didn’t do anything to deserve it. His answer showed me how humble he really is. After gatherings at anyone’s house, he was always the one to initiate cleaning up and everyone would follow suit. He was also the same person who’d volunteer to keep an eye on everyone else's kids so that the parents could enjoy themselves. He was always looking for any opportunity to help.

Tamer really lived a very quiet and simple life. His good deeds and his ability to serve in silence are alive and will keep him alive forever in our hearts.

Shared by Silvana Soliman Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous. 1 Peter 3:8

will start by saying Marianne and I have been childhood friends growing up Iin East Brunswick, New Jersey. We had so many experiences together, from birthday parties, to being in school together, Sunday School activities and church retreats to name a few.

I met Tamer when Marianne knew he was her true love and was ready to get married. I remember getting the invite to the wedding which was to be held in New York and wondering how I was going to get there alone as my husband Peter and I were not yet engaged. It would have been a major cultural taboo to attend the wedding with Peter without any official public commitment. Marianne and Tamer's care and generosity shined through as they rented a bus for all of us in East Brunswick to remove the burden of getting to the wedding and back so that we could celebrate with them. I was so happy to be able to attend the wedding and watch them start their beautiful journey together as they became one.

Tamer was always the life of every event. He cared for all and always made sure everything was simply perfect. Always had a smile on his face. We live close to each other, and whenever Tamer would go to Costco, he would call Peter and say "I'm going to Costco. What do you need? What can I bring you?" He never failed to do so. Anything Peter would ask for he would always receive without fail. This goes to show how generous and caring Tamer was at always putting others before himself. The 21st Century Walk Tamer has really seen it all with our family from our ups to our downs. Whenever I would get frustrated, annoyed or upset at anything, he would say "Life is too short Laura, don't be upset” or “Does it really matter?" This always changed my ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

perspective. |

89 90 One of our most recent memories was my daughter Rebecca's past 11th birthday | #BeLikeTamer in October 2020. We were juggling a few things with the pandemic and preparing for her birthday party. Tamer called constantly asking what he can do to help. That morning he called and said I'm picking up her cake, just tell me from where and he was insistent on getting the cake.

I recall during the birthday Tamer overheard my mom talking to my in-laws about looking for a new family room set as her back was starting to hurt her from the current one. Without hesitation or speaking, he walked out, picked up his laptop from the car and handed my mom the laptop. He told her "Look for a set, Aunt. We are going to get you a new one."

I can go on, with so many stories but will stop there. Tamer, you were truly a treasure among us here on earth. You had a heart of gold and were a loving husband, a caring father and a generous friend and brother to all of us. You have taught my family and I how to love unconditionally, how to humble ourselves, become more giving and become closer to God. You and Marianne are an inspiration to all of us. Her faith is remarkable and I pray we can be an ounce of what she is, to be able to teach our girls the same.

Shared by Laura, Peter, Rebecca and Rachel Morcos If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness. Isaiah 58:10

hen FDE would travel to Las Vegas for Furniture Market and Ashley WCorporate Meetings, we would always go out for dinner with our team and the Product Reps from other companies. Tamer always loved these dinners as it was a time to celebrate and socialize with people that we do business with each year, and of course he always loved having people he cared about together in one room. Once dinner was over, Tamer would often order additional food, or be sure to take the leftovers from the table. At first, I had never understood why because we usually would not have time to eat leftovers that night or the following day. Tamer would then drop us off at the hotel and say he was going to park the car. Instead of going to park the car, Tamer would take the leftover food or additional meals he’d purchased and bring it to someone in Vegas that was homeless. I am sure, based upon what we know now, that Tamer did not just feed the homeless, but also spoke to them and encouraged them while doing so. My favorite part about this story is that Tamer did this for years without telling anyone, showing that it was not about being recognized for what he did, but rather for serving God and the homeless, out of the love in his heart.

“When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.

When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn. That’s what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. The 21st Century Walk I can assure you that they already have their reward.

When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.” |

91 92 Tamer always loved being part of FDE. He was the heart and soul of the company, | #BeLikeTamer and everyone who worked at FDE always admired Tamer’s knowledge, abilities, and his level of care for all who he worked with. Tamer also had tremendous love for the Chrinian family (owners of FDE) just as the Chrinian family had love for him. For me, he went from a co-worker, to a mentor, to a friend, to a work brother, to a familial brother over 13 years. He eventually took on a nickname of “TC” which stood for Tamer Chrinian. He got this nickname from when we were in Las Vegas together and we were in line for Gelato. Eugene was at the front of the line and was paying for Tamer, Brandon (my brother) and I. After Brandon and I ordered, the man who was scooping the Gelato gave Eugene the total and asked for payment before Tamer could order. Tamer said “Sir, why didn’t you take my order? I know I am shorter than them and don’t look like them, but I am their adopted brother. I am Tamer Chrinian.” He said this with that Tamer smile on his face that we all love so much. Of course, he also got his Gelato on Eugene’s bill, which made him happy as well.

Tamer always sold his ideas relentlessly to Eugene and I. First, he wanted to open up Sleep Stores with mattresses only. Then he wanted to open up outdoor furniture pop-up stores. Then he wanted to start our own website separate from Ashley called Factory Direct Furniture. He shared his ideas with so much passion and was relentless in trying to get the answer he wanted. He even said that if we agreed to one of these, that he would run it as if it was his own business. These are just a few of the examples of ideas that Tamer had which almost always came from left field. Sometimes, his ideas were genius and led to great business opportunities or improvements, so we’d agree. Other times, we found ourselves agreeing because we simply had nothing left in the tank to get him to stop talking. Either way, Tamer always made sure he was selling his ideas because he wanted to see the business grow and he wanted to be part of the success going forward. He was relentless.

One time Tamer came to a meeting where we each had some deliverables that we needed to achieve, and the meeting was to recap our progress on each deliverable. It was now Tamer’s turn to share, and after he got done giving his update, he said “But I also was able to get something else done, can I share? I was able to negotiate the price of our trash removal per dumpster at each store and it is going to save us a few thousand each month.” Each of us looked at each other and asked, “What caused Tamer to even think about that?” The point is that he always looked for opportunities to drive up revenue or reduce cost even if it had nothing to do with his job function or description. He truly acted like an owner, which is what allowed him to grow in his role with FDE as well as add an immeasurable amount of value over his 13 years.

Tamer and I spoke on the phone approximately 7-10 times per week. 95% of the time I called him, he picked up on the first ring. If he missed the call, he called back within 5 minutes every other time, regardless of what he had going on. He was selfless and always asked during those calls, “Is there anything else you need from me?” How amazing would it be if every time we spoke to someone, we asked that at the end of every conversation? How would the person on the other end of that call feel? I know it made me feel like Tamer cared about me, and that he would do anything to make sure my team and I were successful.

I saw Tamer's ability to negotiate and push the boundaries for what he wanted so many times. It was eventually predictable. One time we ran low on gas while returning a rental. We were running late to catch a flight. Knowing it would cost us $200 to have Hertz fill the tank, he said “I’ll get them to waive the fee.” I said, “Tamer, it’s Hertz, you can’t negotiate with Hertz.” Sure enough, he got on the shuttle bus with us with a big smile on his face as they waived all fees. If Tamer wanted to get something, he always found a way to negotiate for it.

FDE’s Mission Statement is “We are committed to amazing our team members, guests and the communities we serve, in every personal interaction, and by doing so we honor God.” The core values are “Humble at heart. Radical about our team members. Relentless in amazing our guests. Passionate about the communities we serve.” Tamer lived out and embodied every single statement, and we could not have asked for a better partner for 13 years. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Justin Crinian 93 94 | #BeLikeTamer I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

y husband, John, and I have known Tamer for about one year. Through Mour parish priest, Abouna Mark, and his love for his children, we started a small fellowship service that would allow young English speaking congregants the ability to pray together and share in fellowship through an Agape meal. Agape means love, and that is what developed between the families that attended PEACE (Praying English And Coptic Eucharist Fellowship ). But to us, Tamer, Marianne and their family were more than a once-a-week church service family. As the year progressed, and the difficulty in dealing with COVID-19 persisted, a small group of us quickly became each other’s family.

It was late February, during our Saturday PEACE liturgy; I was part of a small group responsible for food set-up and clean-up. John had to work at the hospital that day, and I had to clean up after the Agape meal. My son Lucas had his final basketball game of the season. I begged and pleaded with Lucas to skip the game, but the disappointment on his face was too much for Tamer to bear. He asked me if he could take him and told me that he always wanted to go to a kids’ basketball game. Normally, I would never hand my most precious gift from God over to anyone, let alone a man I had just recently known through church. But something about Tamer, I cannot explain it, put my heart at ease. Lucas, who was also very timid at the time, was not reluctant to go with Tamer. Tamer’s beautiful soul shined through and gave both Lucas and I comfort. I handed Tamer my car keys, and he took Lucas to the game. He sent videos; you can hear Tamer cheering for Lucas in them. I later found out from Lucas that they talked all the way there, and Lucas loved it.

Shared by John and Marian Rezk With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless. 2 Samuel 22:26

met Tamer and his family when I was ten years old. We both moved to INew York around the same time and lived just a couple of blocks away from each other when we met. My parents went through a divorce which was absolutely unheard of during this time because it was considered taboo culturally and religiously. But Tamer and family loved us and never judged us like everyone else did. Tamer without question would come over and make tea with milk for my mom and hang out with her. And now I realize that he did it to give her a break, it was giving her relief. Just a simple little gesture went such a long way. We never understood why he did it and why it would matter. We just thought it was Tamer being cute and it became a running joke between them. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Monika Hanna 95 96 | #BeLikeTamer But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16

uring the pandemic my children needed desks since they started Dattending school virtually. I reached out to Tamer since desks were almost impossible to find at the time. Tamer found desks and chairs and helped my husband have them delivered to our house. He then insisted on opening the boxes and assembling the desks outside in the cold so there would be no styrofoam around the house. He wouldn't leave until he made sure the job was finished and the desks were in the room. He exemplifies the meaning of selfless giving and is an example to us all.

Shared by Joseph & Marinet Jacob Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12

amer immediately made us Tfeel part of his family. He was generous and extremely simple with no ulterior motives. When we needed a car Tamer made it his goal to be with us every step of the way. He wanted to make sure we got the best car for the best price. We proceeded to order a new car with the specs we wanted. Tamer even left his work and came to the dealership as we finished the deal and picked up the car. We were very excited for the new car but were disappointed when we noticed the rear seats were badly torn. The dealership did not have a replacement car so we had to cancel our deal. Tamer knew we were upset and he made it his mission again to help us find another car. He was more invested in our search than we were. Daily, he called dealerships, got quotes and searched online. I remember him sitting at our house with his laptop searching while we were hosting friends for his 39th birthday party. It was a celebration for him, but he spent it serving us. Because of his persistence, he found us a great car again. It turned out to be a much better deal and an even better car. Every time we drive or even enter the car it feels like it was a gift from Tamer. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Joseph & Marinet Jacob 97 98 | #BeLikeTamer Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. Proverbs 17:6

hile on maternity leave, I stopped by the Poughkeepsie Ashley WHomeStore with my mom and the baby. To my surprise, Tamer was there. I don't think he even said hello to me. He quickly came over and said, “Can I take him?” Without waiting for an answer he started strolling my son all around the store. He was only two months old and I was a nervous new mom, but it was Tamer so I didn’t mind. There’s no one you can trust more than Tamer. As my son grew, Tamer would bring me toys his daughters outgrew. In 2020 I was laid off and Tamer called me often to keep my spirits up and ask me if I needed anything, offering money or things for Griffin, my son. His generosity knew no bounds. I am so thankful I got to know and learn from such an extraordinary man. I will be making changes to the way I live my life to love more and give more in honor of him.

Shared by Lauren Sanders Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

n 2016 I got married and Tamer never Istopped pestering me to have a baby. Everyday he’d ask me. I wasn’t sure I wanted a family but he’d tell me everyday how amazing it is being a father. His face lit up every time he spoke about Makayla and Kaitlyn, his daughters. Many times they’d be in his car during one of our phone calls. I loved hearing the way he spoke to them. Like they were adults. In 2018 I became pregnant and couldn’t wait to tell him. I told him during a visit to our Brooklyn store and his first words were “I know what I’m going to get you!” A few weeks later we were in a meeting and he slid his laptop over to me and showed me a picture of the gift. He said he couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. It was a Mercedes Ride-On toy. He asked me about 10 times “Isn't it great? You know it’s actually from the dealership!”

In my head I was thinking “Tamer, this isn’t really something a baby needs,” but he was like a little boy showing me all the different pictures of it. I loved it because he loved it and was so excited about it. Turns out this was the perfect gift. It sparked

my son's curiosity, made him work hard to figure it out, gave him confidence all The 21st Century Walk while having fun - very much like the things Tamer provided as a leader. I will cherish it always. ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Lauren Sanders 99 100 | #BeLikeTamer And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

amer interviewed me for a Visual Manager position at Ashley Furniture Tin April of 2014. I was offered the job and only took it because of Tamer. I could tell we would work well together. Over the next six years we worked closely on many projects at the company. We spoke everyday. He always picked up when I called him needing help throughout the day, even though he was probably the busiest guy in the company. Tamer also loved calling me after work on the way home to make the most of our day. He never let a minute be underutilized.

Tamer became known as “Tamer One-More-Thing Tanious” among our crew. Every time we would be nearing the end of the day you would hear him say to someone “My Friend, one more thing.” But with him it never meant just one thing. One more thing meant several more hours of work after an already long day, it meant redoing the set up of something you thought you just finished, it meant carrying sofas up a flight of stairs 10 more times. It meant a lot of things but never just one thing. We all knew this about him but could never say no. You knew his requests were always for the greater good and you felt lucky to be a part of one of his ideas. He had such a gift in getting people to do things. He earned trust through creating friendships and created friendships through his authenticity and knowing that he would help you in an instant with anything. He got people to work harder than they ever did before without them being bitter or resentful.

Shared by Lauren Sanders For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight. Ecclesiastes 2:26

here were many times we saw you, Tamer, and every single time you had Ta smile on your face that could light up any room. You were always so fun and kind and helpful. You were always so happy. We loved spending time with you.

This past summer, quarantining in the Hanna's backyard, we got to see you more. We played board games and enjoyed each other’s company while our kids played together. Every time we went to Hope’s and Fred’s (Tamer’s brother-in-law and his spouse), we would ask if you would be there too. You made us laugh so much! We can’t think of Azul, the game, without thinking of you. Since then, we could never play a board game without mentioning your name. There were so many games that we couldn’t wait to play with you.

Our hearts were so heavy when we found out that you were sick. We prayed without ceasing. Our children prayed too. We prayed for you and Marianne and for your girls. You were always in our thoughts and prayers. If anyone deserved a miracle, it’s you. We are devastated and are trying to accept God’s will.

Joining the prayer meetings, we learned so much about you. You inspired us to be better! We know without a doubt in our minds that you are in heaven, where we all

hope to be one day. We will miss you, and we will strive to be like you! We hope you The 21st Century Walk rest in peace, our dear friend. We will never forget you, and we hope that one day we will be reunited to play Azul again. We know heaven gained a new angel. We are now praying for God to comfort Marianne and the girls, your parents, and everyone who ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

is missing you. |

Shared by Helen and Bill Papoutsakis 101 102 | #BeLikeTamer And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31

am not sure where I should start. I feel that talking about stories of Tamer Ifinalizes his chapters here with us on earth, and that breaks my heart. But I will do this so that he still lives. He lives in our memories, our actions, our service towards each other, and his beautiful family. I do this for his family, Marianne, Makayla, Kaitlyn, Uncle Noshy, Tant Amira and Sandy. Because we all knew Tamer, but there’s so much of his beautiful character to reveal.

I’m saddened that I did not have a chance to speak with him these last few years let alone say goodbye. I may not have been that close to Tamer. I didn't have any inside jokes or deep mind-provoking conversations, but we always laughed. Oh we laughed a lot. The impact Tamer had on people was not confined to time. You could experience it in an evening at one of Marianne and Tamer's home events, in one hour of service towards those in need, in a few minutes playing air hockey at a Dave and Buster’s Light for Orphans event, or by sharing in a simple lighthearted conversation or joke, either way he’d leave you smiling and feeling better than you started that day. His impact during any in-person interaction knew no limits. But now I can say that Tamer's impact is truly lasting, even after death, and it’s changing me for the better, and that speaks to his extraordinary character.

Recently, in the days after Tamer’s passing I learned more of the depth to Tamer’s loving character. We all hear about how welcoming he was to those he’d never met, so this next story, now reflecting on his life, made sense.

A friend from Canada heard of his passing and reached out to give his condolences. I was confused, and because of my close mindedness, I asked how he could possibly know Tamer. He didn’t grow up in the area, or attended the same church, he was only here visiting for a short while. He was one of the many transient thousands who came and went, but Tamer singled him out and made sure to leave an impact on him as well, to make him feel like he was known here.I felt disappointed in myself, of course he knew Tamer.

Tamer, I feel, lived life to the fullest. Tamer would take moments and turn it into meaningful lasting experiences. He has a kind heart, welcoming open arms, and the best smile ever! He has touched so many lives and I expect it to create a domino effect in which we all become Christlike as Tamer truly was.

I pray I make you happy, Tamer. I pray I see people the way you do and to make their day better each time I interact with anyone. You are selfless, knowledgeable, kind, and just an all around “good time” and I will try to emulate you. You did not hide your talents, you shared them with the world and they were multiplied tenfold.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.... So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said to him,

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." Matthew 25:14,20-23 The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Eiris Fahim 103 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

t was May 5, 2006. Marianne Tanious and I had just finished our final Ipharmacy school exam ever. I remember we were thinking, "What do we do now that we no longer have to study?" I remember inviting her to come with me to St. Mary and St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church in Queens that night for their Friday fellowship meeting. When we arrived, Tamer Tanious was one of the guys that greeted us in the main entrance of the church. I remember the star struck look in his eyes when he first saw Marianne.

Later that year, they started dating. I was looking through some old journals and I read that we were praying for God's will in their relationship, and then later for God to be glorified in their marriage. God has truly answered our prayers! He has used Tamer and Marianne, as a couple and individually, to impact so many. I cannot wait to see what God continues to do through Marianne and through all of the people, that have now vowed to carry on Tamer's legacy.

I have been touched by your father, Makayla and Kaitlyn, and hope to live like him.

How fitting that we celebrated his life during the same weekend as the Feast of Epiphany, when God declares, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Christine Malati 105 106

| #BeLikeTamer I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Acts 20:35 said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

ne time we were at our friend’s house celebrating her birthday. When we Owere leaving, my husband realized that we left the car light on and our car battery had died. Without hesitation Tamer pulled in with his car and gave our car a jump with his brand new car. Even then, I was in awe of how quickly he realized the need and rushed to serve without thinking twice. He did not even give us a chance to worry or ask for help, he just helped. And when we thanked him for his help he said “It’s okay.”

Shared by Sara Anderias and Bassem Tawdrose I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to

John 17:4 do.

y husband, John, and I started an extensive remodel project on our Mhouse in 2020. Tamer did not hold back a single thing throughout the process. He shared the name and contact information of the contractors he and Marianne used, he shared his advice, his keen eye for detail and of course his support and help. I remember when we had to prep the house for the project, it required a great deal of physical effort. We were gathered at our friends’ house for our usual weekend gathering, and John was just chatting with the men about all the things we had to do to prep. Tamer did not hesitate to offer his help, and that of the other men in our group, that night. He did not take “No” or “Not tonight” for an answer. He also did a walkthrough mid-project, with blue painters’ tape to mark up all the areas the contractor needs to touch up. His eye for detail is impeccable, so much so that the contractor knew it was his previous client, Tamer, who did the tape marking and not us. Tamer was a humble, down-to-earth gentleman, we have been honored and blessed to know him, and thankful that he allowed us to be a part of his circle of friends.

My heart aches as I write this, tears are streaming down my cheeks, Tamer is an amazing soul, his smile was radiant, his words few but wise and his demeanor gentle and kind. Tamer we miss you deeply but are comforted knowing that you are in the arms of our Lord who loved you so much and gave you eternal life. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by John & Marian Rezk 107 108 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in | #BeLikeTamer the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom

Matthew 18:2-4 of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

henever we had a BBQ, Tamer would notice the kids getting a little Wbored and Tamer would take it upon himself to entertain them, play with them, talk to them or take them to the park. Tamer never said no when a kid asked him for something.

He was a true leader and he always took it upon himself to ensure everyone was having a good time.

Shared by Mark & Rania Megalla Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. Phillipians 3:17

didn’t really know Tamer well, but I always admired his personality and Icharisma. These past few weeks, because of the prayer meetings for Tamer, were a true blessing and something I didn’t realize I needed. I’m truly grateful for that. As a single person, I was inspired by how Marianne was able to speak of Tamer and of their life together. I was inspired by the many others that spoke of their marriages. Honestly, I was starting to lose faith in the whole idea of marriage until this experience.

One story of Tamer that I remember is of when I was in undergrad and I happened to be in church on a Sunday when the Light for Orphans Cruise was scheduled. I wasn’t planning to go, but Tamer approached a group of us and convinced us to come. He said we can pay whatever we were able and he would pay the rest. He didn’t make us feel uncomfortable at all and just wanted everyone to feel included. I wish I had more interactions with him, but I will always remember his joyous personality, which everyone loved. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Anonymous 109 110 | #BeLikeTamer There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so

John 6:9 many?

’ve known Tamer Tanious for over a decade and his smiling face is Ipermanently embedded in my mind because that is how I always saw him. I want to share one of my earliest experiences with this kind and selfless man. I remember one time on a college retreat, everyone was up late, as usual, playing games and hanging out in the common area. We started getting hungry and were running out of snacks. Tamer, always thoughtful and considering everyone’s needs, drove out in the middle of the night to get food for everyone. He came back with a trunk full of food for us. I remember uncle Samir saying “Of course you’re all so happy, Tamer always spoils everyone around him!”That is just the kind of man he was and how he will always be remembered. It did not matter what time of day it was, Tamer was there.

It did not matter what was needed, Tamer was there. We always felt a sense of security and peace around him because that’s the kind of man he was! He was selfless in the truest definition of the word. He sought out to ensure there was joy and comfort for those around him.

And so as we now look up to heaven, because that is where you are,Tamer, with our Lord and Savior, we find happiness and comfort in knowing that you’re in your eternal home. We sure will miss you immensely down here, but we will surely see you again one day with that beautiful angelic smile on your face.

Shared by Olivia Necola So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

ne day, we received a text from Tamer saying that he was at an amusement Opark, and that they were having a great deal on season passes. He asked us if we wanted to buy any. We have a big family and I knew they would all want to get their hands on that deal, so my husband hesitantly replied back, “I need 12.” Tamer called to confirm the number, and said that he didn’t see a problem with getting us that amount. A few minutes later, he texted to let us know he was able to get all 12. Later, we found out that Tamer did the same thing for other friends as well. When Tamer finds a good deal he is excited to share it with others knowing that it will make them happy. Thank you Tamer, our great friend. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Sara Anderias and Bassem Tawdrose 111 112 But when you are invited, go and sit down in | #BeLikeTamer the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence Luke 14:10 of those who sit at the table with you.

amer was able to get a few of his coworkers tickets for a Jets game through Tone of his connections, part of those tickets included two tickets to the Green Room. The Green Room is one of the private suites, that included snacks, drinks and a great view of the game.

He asked if my coworker and I wanted to go and we told him to go ahead with another friend of his. He sat with us for a while in the regular seat sections and then went on to the Green room. A little while later he calls and tells us to walk over there. When we got there, we realized he had somehow managed to get two more wristbands for us to join them. To this day, I do not know how he convinced them to give him two extra tickets to the Green Room, but this is Tamer. He was someone who would not be fully content unless he had everyone share in whatever blessings or joys that came his way.

Shared by Cynthia Ramos In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to

John 14:2 prepare a place for you.

amer, while I still can't comprehend what happened, I am certain you’re Tin a far much better place than we are. I'll never forget how you always asked me if I'm ok and if I needed anything, how you had that special tone and the way you pronounced my name “Karkar,” how you always passed your joyful smile and positive attitude forward whenever I saw you, how you dealt with Marianne, Makayla & Kaitlyn, and all of us really with gentleness, kindness, humility, and generosity. I’ll forever remember your big heart, the one that loves, forgives, endures, helps, & spreads pure joy. You’re now my role model, a saint who loved God, lived his life here on earth sharing and glorifying His name. I promise you I’ll do my best to be like you, Tamer.

I want to share a dream I had before I learned of Tamer’s departure to heaven. I dreamt that my husband and I went to visit Tamer at his house. In my dream, Tamer had left the hospital. The house we visited did not match his actual house. It had a large living room area with high ceilings, big windows, and a lot of sunlight. There were other people who came and visited Tamer too, with us. Tamer was sitting on the couch comfortably and had his joyful smile on as always. I sat next to him on the couch and I remember I was so happy that he was much better now. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

Shared by Christina Rezk 113 114

| #BeLikeTamer His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Matthew 25:23

n the weeks prior to his departure, Tamer was at the center of my prayers. IThe night befor his passing, I had a dream of him. I dreamt that Tamer and I were in prison and handcuffed. Somehow, he released his hands and opened the door of the cage and released us both. He was smiling and he comforted me and told me not to worry. He then left me and walked away with a smile on his face the whole time. When I woke up, I had an urge to know how he was doing! We received the news later that day that he was ushered to heaven. I felt he was trying to say goodbye before leaving, and I thank God for this dream and for giving me the chance to see him one last time. Tamer was a special man, and the love he presented to everyone unconditionally was unexplainable. I am truly blessed to have been a friend of his.

Shared by Peter Yousef He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8

To Tamer, With Love A Letter from Dr. Hani Ashamalla to Tamer Tanious

Dear Tamer,

am not sure when and how you will read this. However, I am certain that Ithrough the Lord’s mysterious ways, this letter will get to you. Tamer, I thought of you as a son for years. I remember when you had to do a major spine surgery at NYU; I believe this was one of my early encounters with you. You were young and very brave then, hardly asking for painkillers. I can’t say we were very close, something I now regret, but you knew I was always a phone call away.

Tamer, I want to tell you about the many things that have happened since you started your long nap. Hundreds of people are praying every night, an accomplishment that is extremely difficult for even the most esteemed of speakers. Many of those who are praying have not prayed in years. Some are actually changing their ways because of you. Even during the holiday season, when people are often preoccupied, many have chosen to spend their time in prayer rather than doing anything else, because of you.

Tamer, while you were taking your long nap, we celebrated Christmas and entered a SAINTHOOD The | ORDINARY 21st Century Walk 117 118 new year. You were at the center of all our thoughts, and made us truly understand | #BeLikeTamer the significance of Christ’s birth this season. In past years, Christmas celebrations used to be spent in shopping malls or at routine family gatherings, but this time and thanks to you, celebrations meant raising our hearts and hands just like the shepherds in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, who were waiting for the “good news.”

Your mom, dad, and sister, although devastated, have grown tremendously in their faith and can’t wait to be reunited with you. Your wife has proven to be a mountain of faith and an anchor of strength in the midst of our turbulent emotions. Her prayers and her humility have taught us what it means to be a godly spouse and have exemplified respect and devotion. In your nap, we’ve all learned the value of our husbands and wives. Many arguments and disputes between couples were seen as trivial, and quickly dissolved in the light of your testimony and Marianne’s devotion.

I almost forgot to mention, there were committed little angels praying every night with us in our scheduled prayer meetings. I am told these children are related to you in some form or another. But I can assure you that if I ever get the chance to hear actual angels praying, I don’t think I’d be able to distinguish their prayers from the prayers of these beautiful children, with their pure hearts and soft voices, teaching us the ways to pray.

During your long nap, barriers separating churches and denominations were crossed. I heard and saw Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, even non-Christians, all unite in praying to God for your recovery. Your nap led to many learning about our preserved traditions for biblical prayer: prayers of the midnight hour, praying the Psalms, and following the structure of the Agpeya.

Tamer, you must know by now that we, doctors, sometimes don’t have any answers. I am sure they’ve tried so many treatment plans; technology, machines, and their combined knowledge amounted to little results. You probably tried telling them in your own silent way that you were brought to this experience for a reason, and it’s clear to hundreds of us that God’s will was to allow for your example to be revealed through this. Tamer, I obviously don’t know God’s will for us, but I have a feeling He’s already revealed to you a few things. He must have told you exactly the final script of your story with us and I am confident that whatever He’s planned is better than anything we could have hoped for. All of our questions will eventually fade in light of the fulfillment of Christ’s statement, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.”

I have to confess something to you. It’s been revealed that in your silent and hidden way of bringing Christ to others, you’ve impacted so many more lives than I have done with all my sermons and public ministry. I’ve come to see that albeit the age difference and my years of service, you’ve become my teacher and I, your student.

My teacher Tamer, please say “Hi” to all the choirs of angels surrounding your hospital bed, I am sure God is asking them to set up their tents in the ICU room. Please relay special greetings to our mother, St. Mary, who I am sure holds you in her own arms as the mother she is. See you soon my son and my teacher. Love, Hani The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

119

Poem Andrew Sharobeem

Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ You faced the tempest storm So that the sun may always shine on us You danced upon the untamed sea So that we are always comforted in the rain

Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ You smiled at your suffering

As if you knew what awaited The 21st Century Walk For you knew your trials were at an end And your joy would soon be everlasting ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

121 122 Through your death we breathe hope | #BeLikeTamer Through your life we found Christ You have set an example forever Our souls yearn for the Kingdom of which you now reside As you’ve left pieces of yourself here on Earth That Kingdom suddenly feels within reach

Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ You have opened our hearts Our minds Our souls You have strengthened our faith Our hope Our love

Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ You have opened a door we thought closed You have shed a light where we went blind You created a heaven here with us Your trip to Paradise became ours to salvation

Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ You have made our smiles more resilient Our deeds more impactful Our worship more fervent Our love unconditional Through your death we breathe hope Through your life we found Christ We now know you were not meant for us You were meant for a more beautiful place But the beauty of you lives on within us Mirrors do not frighten us any more We are not afraid of our own reflections For through your example we now live And live... to be images of Christ. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

123 Tamer gave us reasons to be more like him and be “Tamer-ized Throughout life we each“ tend to meet people who may leave a deep impression on our lives. These people sometimes are larger-than-life figures but more frequently they are simply ordinary people who do extraordinarily simple things over and over again. As good stewards to their God-given gifts, they faithfully pour themselves out in serving others for the purpose of serving others. Let’s commit ourselves to being such faithful people of God today!

Fr. Michael Sorial #BeLikeTamer ”

The Top Five Lessons I Learned From Tamer by Freddie Hanna

hile Tamer was my brother-in-law, he was like both a big brother and a Wlittle brother to me. For example, a few years ago when I needed to go out and unwind, he was an older brother caring for me and deciding to take me out to see a movie; but instead of seeing one of many award-winning films, he wanted to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. I’ll share with you the five lessons I have learned from Tamer from the small things that spoke volumes to me.

Lesson #1: Progress makes happiness. Tamer knew that the satisfaction from reaching a goal is satisfying, but temporary. So he set his goals wisely. He believed there is always more you could do. At the gym, instead of lifting weights The 21st Century Walk the number of times required in the exercise, he would add more repetitions in the name of Makayla, Kaitlyn, Marianne, family and friends. Toward the end when anyone would be too exhausted to complete the exercise, Tamer would exceed the repetitions in the name of “everyone else,” individuals he’d not met yet, but had ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY enough love for to motivate him to do one extra rep. | 127 128 Lesson #2: The standard you walk past is the standard you accept; culture | #BeLikeTamer breeds culture. At my wedding when my father-in-law’s boutonniere was missing, Tamer noticed him searching for something despite being across a busy, noisy room. Tamer insisted on giving him his own, and didn’t worry about how he himself would look without one in the wedding party photos. Like many things where Tamer is involved, it all worked out. He didn’t accept a reality where my father-in-law would continue to search without assistance, and he chose to change what he saw.

It is humbling that within his magnetic charisma and infectious energy was a quiet, humble, magnanimous generosity.

Lesson #3: People do not decide their future; they decide their habits, and their habits decide their future. Many times when I was over Marianne and Tamer’s house I would receive an abundance of food to take with me and I would tell him “It’s too much, what would I do with all this?”He would always respond, “Give it to your neighbors” or “Give it to the homeless.” And being Tamer, you knew he wasn’t saying it tongue-in-cheek—he was serious! He established a habit of generosity even in his simple suggestions that culminated in his legacy of charity that we are all celebrating now.

Lesson #4: Do good while doing well. He mastered the art of tremendous generosity while being very successful in his career. Being in a leadership position, he certainly didn’t have to help address people’s car troubles outside in the office parking lot. It is not often that you see your boss’s boss doing this. But I am reminded that Jesus was a leader yet still washed his disciples’ feet. Tamer sincerely loved people and never met someone he’d consider a stranger. He was often intentionally silent and anonymous in his many acts of bighearted charity for those he didn't know because he wanted others to know one simple thing: they share a world with complete strangers out there who feel for them and that God loves them.

Lesson #5: An entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Tamer never let any negativity of the world get in his boat (even during hectic circumstances that could have easily sank battleships). At Disney there was a problem with a ride, he got everyone, a ride-full of irate strangers, to chant “one more time!” The different chants he started grew so ridiculous that he turned a frustrating time into a cheerful one. This was an incident that would have ruined everyone’s experience, that Tamer transitioned into a source of laughter and joy. Another time, there was an urgent home repair and no service technicians were available, so he said leave it to God, as he often did. Then he went outside and stopped a random white cargo van driving by and convinced him to prioritize this issue and come inside. A truly stubborn optimist and a stubbornly faithful servant.

Tamer is the definition of so many good words, and that is what makes us sad. Because sometimes it feels like those words themselves have been erased from our dictionary. But he leaves an imprint and a legacy so strong that those words and lessons grow bolder and will last forever.

Brother, we are blessed to know you. You lit up any room. We remember you smiling and laughing, effortlessly making everyone around you do the same. We see you in Marianne, Makayla and Kaitlyn. It is an honor to know you and learn from you. It is an honor to love you. It is an honor and a pleasure to have helped you with anything along the way, knowing that it pales in comparison to the overflowing cup that you give. You are the joyous soundtrack to our lives and community. Your stubborn optimism, faith and selflessness are probably very hard for many of us to mimic. But like the first lesson you taught me, progress makes happiness, and I will never cease following in your noble pursuits.

Matthew 6:21 says: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Now your spirit has followed where your heart has always been. Pray for us, we will see you later, brother. The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

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Letter to Tamer Maggie Hanna

Tamer,

don't know where to start. You have left a big void in my life and a deep ache Iin my heart. The world will never feel the same. You are so deeply missed. There are not enough words to describe to you how much you mean to me. But I will start with a “thank you.” Thank you for being a brother to me. From the day we met, we had that unbreakable brother and sister bond. Thank you for always taking care of me - in every sense of the word. Thank you for being my protector. Thank you for always putting my needs before yours. Thank you for all your financial help over the years (especially keeping me on your phone plan and paying my phone bill for over 10 years). There was never a time that I needed something that you The 21st Century Walk didn't deliver. You were a man of your word. You worked in silence. You knew what I needed and you got it done. Thank you for being a father figure to me when my own father got sick. You took it upon yourself to take care of our entire family. And ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

you never expected anything in return. Everything you did was genuine and out | of the goodness of your heart. I am forever indebted to you. Thank you for your 131 132 infectious smile that lit up any room. | #BeLikeTamer Thank you for our countless vacations, adventures, parties, car rides, movie nights, and conversations. So many of our greatest memories would have never happened without you. Thank you for always being there to drop me off and pick me up from the airport regardless of distance, time, or weather. Because no matter how many variables there were in life, you were always the constant. You never changed. Your heart of gold and your Christlike behavior were fixed. Thank you for teaching me to be a better person. Thank you for being a peacemaker and for teaching me the true meaning of forgiveness. One of our last conversations was you telling me to have love for everyone, even if they were unkind to me. Thank you for changing me.

Thank you for being my sidekick when I bought a house. We all know you loved that house more than anyone. Thank you for showing up to my door everyday after work just to spend time with me and help me with all the things I needed to get done. Thank you for missing out on your own events to make sure work was done at my house. You got on your own hands and knees and you did the work yourself. A truly humble man. Thank you for all the Home Depot trips and all the discounts you were able to convince people to give us. You were the best negotiator known to man. Thank you for teaching me how to fight for what I believe in.

Thank you for spending your last week on this earth with me. Thank you for our daily conversations despite your sickness. Thank you for teaching me never to take a moment for granted. Thank you for the greatest gift you have ever given me - being stuck in an isolated hospital room with a legend. Because you are a legend, Tamer. You are one of a kind and you can never be replaced. Thank you for choosing to have your last conversation on earth with me. Thank you for showing me to keep my eyes on God, as you did up until your last moments. Until your last breath. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for loving me. I love you more than you'll ever know. If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever. I'm not sure how we will live this life without you Tamer, but you will forever be engraved in my heart. I promise you that your legacy will live on. I will tell myself everyday to "be like Tamer." Your legacy will be seen through Marianne, Makayla, and Kaitlyn. I promise you that! They will forever be proud of the wonderful man that you are.

Heaven doesn't seem so far away anymore. Thank you for allowing me to set my eyes on God. Thank you for making heaven my goal. It's not “Goodbye,” it's “See you later.” See you soon, my beloved Tamer. Well done, good and faithful servant. Pray for us until we meet again. Love, Maggie Hanna The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

133

Outro Marianne Tanious

s I read through these stories, I was proud to have shared a life with this Aamazing man. There were somethings mention that I knew about, and others were a surprise. Perhaps he never shared some of them because he thought they were insignificant, part of the Christian duty, rather than indications that he had gone the extra mile. He had been doing good for so long, and had made it his purpose for so long, that doing these things became his nature. He embodied the teaching of never letting one hand know what the other had done. There was a beauty and intimacy in this – maintaining his little secrets with his Savior.

Some of these stories were truly remarkable and could alone show the generous and loving person that Tamer is. But other stories, while also a reflection of his giving spirit, may seem small, perhaps insignificant. But you see, they were The 21st Century Walk important to the people who were part of them – to the people who Tamer went out of his way for. And that is perhaps the greatest lesson of all. We don’t have to do great things all the time. We can do small things with great love because God is ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY love. We will not simply be judged by our works, whether they were tremendous in | 135 136 size or not, but by how we made people feel. Tamer understood that we were put | #BeLikeTamer here to serve one another, not for ourselves or our own glory or gain, but because this is what Christ has called us to do. And in doing so we become Christlike, just as Tamer is.

In beautiful divine poeticism, Tamer’s life started on the Feast of the Nayrouz (Coptic New Year), when martyrs and confessors are commemorated. And truly Tamer’s life has been a confession of his faith and his God. In similar beauty and meaning, his departure from the world is marked by the feast of the Epiphany. After serving his Lord for 39 years, I am certain that he was welcomed by his heavenly Father with the words, “You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased,”words which were uttered by God the Father to His Son, Christ, during the events of His epiphany at the Jordan.

Certainly Tamer’s life on earth was not as long as I would’ve liked, or as all those who knew him would’ve liked. But in his short time, he was able to accomplish his mission because he never took a moment for granted, never ceased an opportunity to pour himself out for anyone in need. And when I read these stories I can only think, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I’m sure many more stories will continue to come out over the next weeks and months and years. And perhaps we may never learn them all. It makes me wonder when it’s my time, what will my story be? What will your story be?

Our hope remains in our Lord and our God. Tamer is with us always and is more alive right now than we are. And we are faithful that if we carry out our stories with the same love, generosity, and kindness that he did, we will be reunited with him and our Savior for eternity. If this journey has taught us anything, it is that this life is temporary. We are vapor and there are no guarantees of a single day. We can only strive to be as ready as Tamer was. Conversation Between Tamer and God as envisioned by Pishoy Yacoub

hile Tamer was in the hospital, we had multiple text exchanges. The day Wthat Tamer was to be placed on the ventilator, I had texted him again to ask how he was doing. Tamer’s reply was simply this, “keep praying!” I then texted him back and suggested that he make a deal with God or make God a promise of some sort, and all will be well. The weeks that followed I wondered what promise or deal Tamer had secured with our Lord. As I pondered this question, I visualized the conversation that may have taken place between them. I wanted to take this vision and create a keepsake video for his family. This is a transcript from that video which is what I envisioned the dialogue to be between Tamer and God. The 21st Century Walk

GOD: My son…

Tamer: God, is that YOU? ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

137 138 GOD: Yes, my son… Do you hear the prayers of your friends and family? | #BeLikeTamer Tamer: Yes, God, I do…

GOD: Do you see how many of my children have come together in my name because of your big heart and good works?

Tamer: I’ve heard every prayer. I am so lucky to have them in my life… I live to serve you, God….

GOD: You gave to the poor, you visited the sick, you served me well. People now know me because of you. Well done, good and faithful servant. Are you ready to come home with me?

Tamer: Yes, God I am… But what about those that just started to get to know YOU? They were expecting me to walk out of this hospital… I don’t want them to lose faith in you…

GOD: My son,

“do not lose heart...”—2 Corinthians 4:16

“They do not know now why I do this, but later they will understand.” —John 13:7

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” —Isaiah 55:9

“For I desire all my children to come to me.” —Ezekiel 18:23

“Their faith has increased by witnessing the fervent prayers of those who know me. Those who have not spoken to me in years, have returned with repentant hearts... and those who seek me with all their hearts will find me.” —Jeremiah 29:13

Tamer: God, I know you are in control… but just one more thing. What about my girls? Who will take care of them? GOD: “I will gather them in my arms, I will carry them in my bosom and lead them.” —Isaiah 40:11

“My beloved son, their work on earth is not yet finished. Many people will see their good works and glorify me.”—Matthew 5:16

Tamer: And what about my other half? You made us one…

GOD: Do not worry about my faithful daughter, her mission has just begun. I need her to serve many who have suffered tremendous pain like she has but lost all faith. She will bring them back to me.

“Fear not, for I am with her. Do not be dismayed, for I am her God, I will strengthen her.” —Isaiah 41:10

“And I will comfort your mom and dad and your sister, Sandy, along with the rest of your family. And they will comfort others with the comfort they receive from me.” —2 Corinthians 1:3

Tamer: I know you will comfort my family and friends, God. Ok God, Just one more thing! Is there water for me to jet ski in heaven?

GOD: My son, “in heaven we ride on clouds….” —Revelation 1:7

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the Righteous Judge will give to me on the day.” — 2 Timothy 4:8 Tamer Tanious September 11, 1981 – Eternity The 21st Century Walk ORDINARY SAINTHOOD ORDINARY

139 You blessed us beyond measure, “ you loved without pretense or conditioning. You supported without reservation. You gave without discrimination. You lived in joy to spread joy to each and every one of us. Pray for us before the throne, continue this great service you started on earth, all the more powerful up in Heaven. We love you, Tamer.

Fr. Gregory Saroufeem #BeLikeTamer ”

Ordinary Sainthood The 21st Century Walk

So we ask the question... Ordinary Sainthood

What’s your Legacy?

The 21st Century The 21st Century Walk

To continue the works of Tamer... visit www.belikeTamer.com #belikeTamer