Khaliq Melle Sanda

he was surrounded by his loving family and was at peace.

Khaliq Melle Sanda was born on September 7th, 1996 in New York City to Angela and Oumarou

Sanda. Khaliq attended Craig Elementary and Alton C Crews middle school both in

Lawrenceville, Georgia. Due to his academic excellence, he was accepted as a Scholar into the

A Better Chance of Westport program where he attended Staples High School in Westport, CT.

When he arrived at Staples High School in 2010 as a freshman, Khaliq Sanda brought with him

his contagious joy, quick wit and genuine warmth. At the beginning of his high school career, he

became involved in Peer Advisors, an after-school group that allowed students to discuss

issues and share stories. Through this organization, Khaliq fostered friendships with people

from all over the Staples community. These bonds came easily to Khaliq—his friends recall that

he loved people and people loved to love him.

This love for Khaliq spread like wildfire throughout the Westport community. He acted as a

unifier amongst his classmates—"knowing Khaliq” was a common catalyst for Staples students

forming new friendships. As a student, he was responsible, hardworking and exceptionally

bright. Despite his course load, Khaliq managed to effortlessly excel in school. His teachers at

Staples High School were not immune to his infectious charm. He was a presence in the

classroom—expressing his ideas with eloquence, while also making his teachers laugh. He

could be seen in the library helping friends with homework and making plans for the weekend.

Khaliq worked as a tutor for younger students in the Westport community and served as a role

model for many. Always an advocate for his peers, he was involved with Key Club, a

philanthropic organization that serves the local community, as well as Student Assembly where

he helped make decisions for the Staples student body. He was a champion for others in

everything that he did. Khaliq’s accomplishments at Staples were impressive, including

outstanding grades and many leadership positions, but his true superpower was connecting with

others. Khaliq’s ability to connect with people knew no bounds. In addition to his biological and

his host families, Khaliq was a son, brother and nephew to so many. His sincerity transcended

generations; his friends fondly remember the relationships he cultivated with their family

members—grandparents and younger siblings alike. He lived authentically and his support

encouraged his friends to do the same. When those close to him needed advice, Khaliq knew

how to listen intently and guide them in the right direction. He was a confidant to all. He

graduated from Staples High School as a beloved member of the Class of 2014 and a cherished

member of the Westport community.

Khaliq then attended Duke University where he pursued a Bachelors degree in Global Health

and Biology. He was devoted to his goal of going to medical school and ultimately becoming a

psychiatrist, and it was no surprise that he excelled in his courses. In a matter of weeks after

arriving at college, Khaliq morphed into the undisputed “King of Duke.” Seemingly uninhibited by

normal social fears, he naturally established deeply-rooted relationships with everyone he met.

He displayed his endless love for Duke by mentoring younger students on campus, acting as a

tour guide, and serving as social chair for his fraternity, Sigma Nu. He worked tirelessly to

graduate on time with his friends, overloading courses to make up for time spent getting

treatment.

In conversations with his Duke friends remembering Khaliq, there is one word that consistently

comes up: lucky. Lucky to have had a once-in-a-lifetime friend who made each one of them feel

like the most special person in the world. Khaliq’s capacity to love far exceeded your average

person’s, and his immense influence could be felt even when he was nowhere near. He pushed

his friends to be funny, loving, kind, open-minded and confident. He was not simply loved and

respected by his friends, he was adored. His legacy is everywhere. In his own words, he was

iconic.

Upon graduation from Duke University in 2018, Khaliq accepted a position as a Community

Outreach Coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City, where he dedicated

himself to clinical research, enrolling taxi drivers for a program focused on reducing

hypertension in New York City, the city that he loved. His city.

Our brilliant, funny and compassionate Khaliq is now on a new journey. We have no doubt that

the former Mayor of Westport and King of Duke will soon be a reigning prince in his new

destination.

While a great and beautiful light has been extinguished, we take comfort in knowing that his

kind, caring and generous spirit lives on powerfully in the many friends and relatives who were

blessed to know him.

He touched and enriched so many lives - bringing joy and laughter as well as knowledge and

insight to all he met. He saw the best in us - even when we didn't - and made us want to be

better and do better. It was his loving friendship that quietly motivated us - again often without

us even realizing it - to live up to our ideals and achieve our promise.

Khaliq defined courage, character and grace. He faced unimaginable adversity with

extraordinary humor, patience and strength. He will be missed but his memory will endure in the

actions of all who knew him and loved him.

Khaliq is preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, maternal grandmother and

grandfather. He is survived by his parents’ Angela and Oumarou Sanda, surrogate parents Lori

and David Sochol, siblings Kimbo, Stanley, Abdul, Eposi and Mairo and several Aunts, Uncles,

cousins and a host of other loving family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, a fund to support adolescents and young adults with the costs associated with personal and family expenses during treatment for lung and other related cancers has been established in Khaliq’s memory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Donations can be made using the following link: http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/KhaliqSanda

A virtual ceremony will be held on Saturday March 6th at 2pm to honor Khaliq’s life ~

https://memorialstream.online/khaliq-melle-sanda/.

A candlelight gathering will be held outside at Compo Beach in Westport, CT on Sunday March

7th at 7pm.