The death of Kareem Badawi, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Alabama, has left the Episcopal School community in Baton Rouge grieving the loss of an exceptional young man.
He was killed in a terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. Another former classmate, Parker Vidrine, was also injured in the attack and remains in the ICU.
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Who was Kareem Badawi?
Kareem graduated from Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge, where he was a beloved member of the football team. He formed a close bond with his best friend and teammate, Ethan Ott. The two carried their friendship to college, becoming roommates and pledging Sigma Chi together. Both students excelled academically, earning 4.0 GPAs in their first semester.
Kareem’s former football coach, Travis Bourgeois, fondly remembered him: “Why innocent people have to suffer, especially a guy like Kareem, was well liked, not a hurtful bone in his body. He's a very kind, gentle guy, well liked you know, people went to Kareem because he's a positive guy.”
{{/usCountry}}Kareem’s former football coach, Travis Bourgeois, fondly remembered him: “Why innocent people have to suffer, especially a guy like Kareem, was well liked, not a hurtful bone in his body. He's a very kind, gentle guy, well liked you know, people went to Kareem because he's a positive guy.”
{{/usCountry}}On New Year’s Eve, Kareem joined several 2024 Episcopal graduates in New Orleans to reunite and share stories of their first semester in college. At some point during the night, the group became separated. Around 3:16 a.m., Ethan informed Kareem he was heading to Bourbon Street. Shortly after, Kareem’s life was tragically cut short.
“He thought it’s a big city and New Orleans would have parties … He thought it would be a good idea, and there would be a bigger party than Baton Rouge,” Kareem's father, Belal Badawi, told the New York Post.
“The next day was the Sugar Bowl and he loves sports so he thought New Orleans was the place to be for New Year’s Eve. The New Year’s Eve is not what he expected or planned for and unfortunately he got killed.”
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Ethan and other friends honoured Kareem by getting tattoos that read “KB 1-1-2025.” Ethan explained, “Now I’ve got Kareem with me forever.”
The Episcopal School community held a closed memorial for Kareem, with the chapel overflowing to twice its capacity.