Members of UCLA’s Sigma Pi fraternity and the family of 2010 alumnus Garni Arakelian gathered last month in a small ceremony to honor his life and legacy.
As part of the ceremony, family members awarded a scholarship to a student who they said maintained optimism in the face of adversity – the same way they said Arakelian remained strong throughout his battle with cancer.
Arakelian died in July 2013 after a three-year battle with a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma. There are about 2.9 cases of the disease per million people in the United States, according to the Bone Cancer Research Trust.
His sister, Astineh Araklelian, said he maintained optimism following his diagnosis in 2010 and kept his family’s spirits high in the hours before his death.
The fraternity and Arakelian’s family created the Garni Arakelian Memorial Scholarship in honor of his memory. They awarded the first scholarship Oct. 20 to a friend and Sigma Pi brother who they thought embodied Garni’s optimism, humor and friendliness. The scholarship is meant to help supplement a student’s tuition.
The family created the scholarship for the fraternity to honor his dedication to the house, Astineh Arakelian said.
Jenny Ladner, Arakelian’s girlfriend of five years, said he attended every fraternity meeting and seized opportunities to show his love for the fraternity. Sigma Pi also helped bring the two together.
The couple met while in college at a Hollywood night club in 2008. Shortly after, Arakelian invited her to Sigma Pi’s “Around the World” party.
“After that I knew he was the one,” she said.
Soon after, Arakelian and Ladner attended the Sigma Pi Orchid Ball in Palm Springs with the fraternity.
Ladner and Arakelian remained together after graduation and she said she continued to support him through his battle with cancer.
Arpi Torosyan, Arakelian’s close friend, said Arakelian encouraged close friends to join the fraternity. She said she admired his commitment to Sigma Pi and saw it as an example of his love for others.
To fund the scholarship, the family reached out to Sigma Pi alumni for contributions through their publication, The Pioneer. Astineh Arakelian and her family helped organize a blood drive and fundraiser with Jamba Juice on March 31, celebrating Garni Arakelian’s birthday, raising $500 at the event.
The family said they asked students applying for the Sigma Pi scholarship to submit an essay about a time when they showed optimism, selflessness or general happiness in the face of difficulty.
The winner, third-year physics student Lazaros Coss, received the scholarship award of $1,000 at a fraternity meeting in the company of Garni Arakelian’s girlfriend and family.
Coss said he tries to approach life with an attitude similar to Arakelian’s.
“No matter how bad things get, there’s always a positive side,” Coss said.
Torosyan said she thinks Arakelian put others before himself, assuring they were feeling happy or helping in anyway he could. She added that she thinks Arakelian’s primary concern was his family members falling ill while being with him in the hospital.
“I worshiped his positive attitude,” she said.
Astineh Arakelian said her brother cared for others even as his cancer worsened. She said after doctors diagnosed him, he encouraged his friends and fraternity to reduce harmful habits. His sister said he was especially proud of convincing multiple fraternity brothers to quit their cigarette smoking.
Another way he encouraged health among his friends was by sharing his passion for healthy eating, she said.
Arakelian reached out to other cancer patients on the phone and described to them the best diet he thought they should pursue and methods to cope with the pain, Astineh Arakelian said.
She added that he sometimes would reject certain foods she offered him when they ate together, claiming they had no nutritional value.
Arakelian’s interest in nutrition furthered his plans to attend a pharmacy school after graduation, she said. While working to fulfill prerequisites for pharmacy school, Astineh Arakelian said her brother helped to open a small cafe named Organica Cafe in his family’s town of Glendale. The cafe emphasizes healthy eating.
“He was motivated on life,” Astineh Arakelian said. “The little things made the day so special for him.”
The Arakelian family plans to award the scholarship yearly to a Sigma Pi student. They are still accepting donations and plan to hold an annual blood drive and fundraiser every March 31 to celebrate Arakelian’s birthday.