Vice President of SUPR and finance senior Omar Mahmoud said sharing stories about Thabet and holding the vigil "humanizes him," which the media fails to do for Palestinian people.

"He's no longer just a number now," Mahmoud said. "He's become an actual human being with a face and a name, and a family and goals and loved ones. He wasn't an animal. He wasn't a beast. He was a human just like me and you."

MSU Interim President Teresa Woodruff offered her condolences to the community.

"We’re all in this to remember a great scholar who came to study at MSU," Woodruff said. "Thank you for organizing this."

Several students, faculty and loved ones of Thabet showed up to the vigil, including those who were not part of the Muslim or Arab community; Mahmoud said this "surprised him."

"It just goes to show that people prioritize my people, the Palestinian people," he said.

Former MSU Humphrey fellow Faezeh Yekkalam Tash had been in touch with Thabet just a few days before he passed away. She said Thabet was "always beaming and exceedingly optimistic," and an exceptional friend.

Tash emphasized his role as an inspiring leader and loving father. She "vividly remembered" Thabet's excitement for buying his children toys in Chicago. 

Thabet had a passion for shining light on Palestine because he recognized that many people only associated the state with conflict.

"He was determined to change the perception," Tash said. "Tariq organized a presentation at the Friendship House, where he proudly shared the rich culture of Palestine. He showcased a variety of foods and handcraft from his homeland, encouraging others to appreciate ... the diversity and heritage of his country beyond the headline of conflict."

When Tash heard of the escalated conflict between Palestine and Israel, she was "deeply worried" and immediately contacted Thabet.

She read a message Thabet had wanted to be shared:

"We’re facing challenges with limited resources," Tash said, reading Thabet’s message. "Despite the difficulties, my family and I are trying to stay resilient. I've been through five wars in Gaza, but this one is particularly devastating. In just one day we witnessed destruction and bombardments surpassing anything we've seen before. Over the last few days, many relatives and friends lost their homes and some their life, forcing us to crawl into makeshift shelters in searching for safety." 

Thabet and his family moved to a town for safety, Tash said, but there was no safety within Gaza.

Alongside Tash, other speakers at the vigil included ACS Vice President Saba Saed, MSU DEI Coordinator for International Studies and Programs Anjam Chaudhary and Muslim Studies Program Director Mohammad Hassan. 

Chaudhary knew Thabet well, as he was the first Humphrey Fellow she worked with. When she first met him, his "captivating smile" lit up the room.

"How can I explain or mention the fact that there is no one left in your family to grieve your loss," Choudhary said. "Tariq, you didn’t live alone. You held the hand of your dear wife, your four beautiful children, your loving parents and ten other members of your family. I stand before all of you in profound sorrow. Your determination to create a better world is not left unseen."

Saed, as a Palestinian woman, spoke on the Palestinians being killed in Gaza and the Israeli bombings occurring. She urged people to honor Thabet's story and accomplishments. 

"I know his life," Saed said. "I know his pain, and the pain of the 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza, and what they've been living through and what people in the West Bank have been living through together."

As a Palestinian and student at MSU, Saed said she cannot be a Spartan until the MSU community can "support and recognize each other."

"Do not let (Thabet's) legacy be defined by this atrocity, but let it be representative of who he was and he who he could have been," she said. "Let us move forward and memorial for him and all those who have died."

MSU alumna Yasmina Bouraoui serves as a cultural host to the Humphrey Fellows every year. She met Thabet several times when receiving the 2021-2022 class for dinner in her home. Like others who knew Thabet, Bouraoui described him as "energetic, warm, proud to be Palestinian, and very positive."

If Bouraoui saw Thabet today, she said she would thank him for all the work he has done for the youth. 

"(Thabet) was really, really, really innocent," Tash said. "The more I think about it, it’s getting worse and worse because they just wiped out three generations. We are here – Humphrey Fellows from all over the world – (and) we just try to keep remembering him and remind people how wonderful he was."