A humanitarian hero and a beloved son of Haiti!
A few days ago, I received the devastating and heartbreaking news that my beloved friend Lavarice Gaudin suddenly and unexpectedly died in Haiti. Death comes most of the time suddenly, and there is no surprise there. But when death comes to a young man full of life, full of hope, full of energy, and full of love for his nation, then death indeed is painful and sudden.
In 2009, I visited Miami to see one of the leaders of the Haitian people, Father Gérard Jean-Juste. Father Jean-Juste was sick at home, and we sat and talked for a few hours about the change and hope that would come to Haiti if there were an election and he became the president. While we were talking about Haiti, I was giving an example of the democratic struggle in the Middle East and Europe. Next to Father Jean-Juste was a young man, one of his students taking care of everything in and out. This young man was quiet and had a smile on his face; this young man was Lavarice Gaudin.
In my conversation with Lavarice, I found Lavarice to be a compassionate and visionary leader fueled by a deep love and hope for his country. A few weeks later, after this meeting, Father Jean-Juste passed away. Lavarice called and told me that if we planned anything for Haiti, he would be there to help us in any way. Since that day, Lavarice has been part of Zakat Foundation of America's vision.
