University of Alabama student killed in New Orleans terror attack laid to rest in somber service attended by frat brothers
BATON ROUGE, La.— Kareem Badawi, the University of Alabama student killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack, was laid to rest Friday as his father heartbreakingly recalled how excited his son was to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Big Easy with his pals.
Hundreds of mourners, including several of Badawi’s classmates and fraternity brothers, attended the burial service at a maqbara near the 18-year-old’s Baton Rouge home.Following the somber service, Kareem’s father, Belal Badawi, stopped to speak to The Post about his beloved son’s senseless death.The grief-stricken dad said his son traveled more than an hour away from home to New Orleans to ring in the new year with 15 friends in the city renowned for its nightlife.
“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,” Belal recalled.“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.”The father also revealed the heartbreaking final text messages he exchanged with Kareem.“From New Orleans, he sent me a Happy New Year text at midnight,” Belal told The Post.
“I texted him ‘Happy New Year – dad.’ That was the last message between me and him.Like three hours later he got killed.”Imam Emad Nofal, chairman of the Islamic Center Baton Rogue, addressed the congregation and denounced the terror attack in which 13 other people were killed by Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
“We are people of peace.I don’t care who has done this.
He’s a terrorist and he’s a person who does not belong to Islam, does not understand Islam.Has nothing to do with us,” Emad Nofal said.“As you can see, we are the victims here,” he reflected.Belal didn’t learn about the Bourbon Street attack until he turned on the news the morning after wish...