A recurring theme of the vigil held in honour of 20-year-old Aalia Mahomed—now embraced by her friends and family—is Be More Aalia, a tribute to her kindness, compassion, and love of life.
Aalia’s life was a pursuit of science and a wonderment of the cosmos, a deep-think of philosophy, with a dedication to hard work. But most of all, she was a selfless friend who loved her family.
At just 20 years old, Aalia left a lasting legacy on everyone who knew her, as reflected in the hundreds of mourners who gathered at St Mary le Strand Church on March 26 to pay their respects—laying flowers, sharing personal memories, and observing a one-minute silence.
Among those in attendance were old school friends, King’s College London students and staff, family members and neighbours—all sharing stories of Aalia and what she meant to them.
Aalia, a second-year Physics and Philosophy student at King’s, was killed on March 18 after a van was inexplicably driven through a set of gates into an area where she was sitting with friends outside the university campus on the Strand.
To those closest to her, Aalia has been described as “bright”, “positive in spirit”, and a “social butterfly”—someone who always made time for others.
“People used to say Aalia, her brother Zain and I were the Three Musketeers,” Aalia’s mother Samira Shafi told the Standard.
“I had Aalia when I was 22 years old. I lived my life with her, so losing her feels like losing a best friend and a companion, as well as a daughter.”
“She was always positive, she never held grudges and always had a smile on her face. Aalia lived by the belief that nothing is out of your reach and it’s all within your control—and if it isn’t, then you make peace with that.
“She didn’t take things deep to her heart and I truly loved the fact she leaned on me. She would come to my work sometimes with coffee and lunch and we would sit and eat together—and she would yap so much and fill me in on everything that was going on. She just had this warmth around her that was magnetic.”
Aalia was proud of her degree and the path she was forging as a woman in STEM. She was passionate about physics, philosophy and astronomy, and a member of the university’s space society. Ms Shafi said her daughter always dreamed of visiting observatories to experience the ultimate stargazing trip.
At the time of her death, Aalia had been in the process of securing a summer work placement. Her dream was to pursue a career in engineering and aerospace.
“She also loved London and city life,” Ms Shafi said. “Aalia did work experience with me at my office in central London and I remember getting the train with her—she kept stopping to take pictures of The Gherkin. She would say, ‘Mum, I love it here’. She loved the hustle and bustle of the city.”
“She was so looking forward to summer in London with friends. Aalia always said she was introverted but in reality she made friends wherever she went—and she had an abundance of friends.”
She was also a keen traveller. Last year, Aalia explored Japan with her mother and brother, celebrated her 18th birthday in New York, and also visited Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore and Florida.
She had a love of music, baking, Bollywood and the theatre. Her favourite film was Interstellar (2014), Christopher Nolan’s science fiction drama about love, time and space. For five consecutive years, Aalia and her mother attended a Whitney Houston tribute concert.
“We loved 90s music and Whitney was our connection,” Ms Shafi said. “Aalia also loved Christmas music and she was always happy singing and dancing.”
Aalia worked part-time at a local Morrisons store, where colleagues have since created a memorial table and are collecting donations in her honour. Many customers remembered her for her bright smile and warmth.
“When I sit here missing her, feeling like I have been robbed, I don’t sit here thinking she didn’t have a fulfilled life because she did,” Ms Shafi said. “Anything Aalia committed to, she gave everything.
“She was really living life and I think she achieved more in those 20 years than most people do in a lifetime. That brings me some comfort—but there was still so much she wanted to do and achieve. She had a bright future ahead of her.
“I have lost my daughter, but she was so much more to so many and I can’t close the door on that.
“I’ll miss her affection. She was always hugging me. When she came back from uni she would crash on the sofa and put her head in my lap. She always gave me a kiss before she left. On the weekends she would shift over in bed and I would cuddle up next to her.
“I want to keep her memory alive and show everyone how wonderful she was.”
Aalia shared a close bond with her 17-year-old brother, Zain. According to Ms Shafi, she was not only his sister but also his mentor—guiding him through university open days and helping him with his UCAS plans. Zain is now considering applying to King’s College London in her memory.
“My sister meant everything to me,” Zain told the Standard.
“She was loud, she was annoying—but she was so easy to talk to. We got along better than anyone else. I could talk to her about all my problems and she always had a solution.
“My best memories of her are her coming up to my room and annoying me for 15 minutes. She would jump on my bed, not let me sleep, and play games on my computer.
“I always wanted to be an uncle and for her to be the cool aunt to my kids. It was a dream that I had and one that can’t happen now. I wanted her to see me go to uni.”
When asked what made Aalia unique, he added: “She somehow found a way to find everything in the world interesting.
“There was nothing that she would say no to, even if she didn’t like it. For example, she didn’t like sport—but if you asked her to play basketball, she would give it a go.”
In tribute to Aalia—in whom, her mother says, “we have lost a part of all of us”—her family and friends hope people will continue to live by the message she embodied: Be More Aalia.
