Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Dr. Abdel-Rahman Taha and Dr. Amak Ali Taha of Northern Virginia and natives of Sudan are like any other parents who loved their son Army Staff Sgt. Ayman Taha. Like any parents, they tried their best to provide the finest education for their son and raised him as a decent citizen of America. It is a dream come true for any parent to see their children succeed. It is very hurtful for parents to see any of their children not being successful and even more unbearable for parents to lose a child who is successful in life.

I met Abdel-Rahman in a situation where every father would never wish to face. It was the funeral of his son Staff Sgt. Ayman A. Taha, a Special Force engineer sergeant, with 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at Fort Campbell, Ky. He died in an explosion on Dec. 30, 2005, while preparing to dispose of enemy munitions discovered near Balad, Iraq.

Taha, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts, was described as athletic, proficient in many languages, a people’s person, and a Ph.D candidate in economics. A promising economist and the son of a Northern Virginia couple Dr. Abdel-Rahman and Dr. Amal Taha, volunteered to enlist in the US Army to serve in Special Forces. He was sent to Iraq, like many, to honorably serve our country.

A promising son, husband, father, brother and an immigrant from Sudan who was loved by all and loved all, gave his life to defend his country that he called America. I met the father during the funeral prayer. We all went to Arlington National Cemetery where Taha was laid to rest. I asked him how he was coping? “Only faith can help you go through this,” he replied. I could not give any more comfort. He found it in his faith. “Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return.” Qur’an (2:156). May each of us embrace the faith that helps us as we face the ultimate issues of life.