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Despite the Battle of Self-Acceptance, Adam Seef dedicated his life to Serve the most Vulnerable people with Love.
On the 26th of June 2019, in a hotel in Eilat, Israel, on a tour with his closest friends, after having had two incredible days of fun and laughter, Adam Seef fell victim to suicide.
Adam was a first-year medical student at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. In his only semester at the university, he achieved firsts for all his subjects. A top achievement. This, after finishing matric with a full house of 7 distinctions, and featuring on the Outstanding List, a list for students who finished in the top 5% of the country in six different subjects. Adam was extremely popular and loved by all those around him. And yet in his words, he “couldn’t hold on any longer.”
Adam felt lost. Uncertain. He could not reconcile the person he portrayed to those around him with the person he felt he was inside. He did not feel safe sharing his inner demons, in fear that it may push those he loved most away from him, isolating him even more.
Why didn’t he just reach out? Obviously, we would have accepted his intricacies, and we would have done everything we could have to help him. To those around Adam, this was extremely obvious. But to Adam, it was not so. When depression infects a piece of your mind, it grips your rationality. Distorts it. A cloud of black covers your neural vision. “For sure”s become “what if”s, and reaching out for help seems more like a death sentence than a cure.
However, despite Adam’s battle of self-acceptance, he dedicated his life to offering others security, happiness, and love through his constant acts of outreach. Throughout high school, Adam visited Sandringham Gardens, a Jewish old-age home, where he handed out Shabbat treats and spoke to and got to know the elderly. Many of them remembered Adam by name and looked forward to his weekly visits.
Adam also dedicated much of his time to visiting Impilo, a child protection and adoption service. He enjoyed entertaining the kids. The kids instantly fell in love with Adam and ran towards him in excitement whenever he visited. Adam loved being involved in the ‘Santa Shoebox Collection’. Every December, Adam went to the zoo to meet the recipients and help facilitate this act of giving. Adam, being elected a student leader of King David High School Linksfield’s Outreach Committee was also involved in many charity collections and other impactful initiatives. It is thus without a doubt that Adam made a massive difference in so many people’s lives.
Celebrating the Life of Adam Seef
On the 8th of June, for the past 20 years, Adam Seef’s family and friends have celebrated his birthday in appreciation for all that he brought into their lives. They celebrated the way he made people laugh, the guidance and selfless help that he always had to offer and the cherished memories that will forever be held close to their hearts.
However, on the 26th of June 2019, Adam tragically took his own life. But this does not mean that we need to stop celebrating our precious Adam.
Therefore, on Adam’s 21st birthday, we want to celebrate him by giving back what he gave to us. Adam’s life was dedicated to helping others. Whether it was in his sense of humour or in his passion for outreach, his kindness was limitless. We know that it would warm Adam’s heart to watch us warm the less-fortunate winter during this very cold period.
We will thus be running a drive with the aim to donate 210 winter packs that will be distributed around Johannesburg (more details to follow) in honour and in memory of our Adam.
Each pack will include:
- A blanket
- A beanie
- High protein, non-perishable food
- Toiletries (deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary pads for those going to women and more)
Each pack will cost R180. We would like to ask for your help to try and make this drive possible and so we ask you to please sponsor as many packs as you can, or to donate any amount of your choice. Adam’s family and friends will then assemble each pack and donate them on Adam’s Yahrzeit, the 26th of June.
Kindly make all donations by the 22nd of June to the following account: Account name: Liron Sharon Account number: 1139336363 Account type: Current Account Bank: Nedbank ranch Code: 198765, Reference: Name and Surname
Thank you kindly in advance for your generosity and selflessness. This winter will not be as difficult for 210 people thanks to you. Adam would be overwhelmed by the impact he had on our lives and continues to have on those that knew him and those that get to benefit from his kindness anyways.
Liron Sharon
