Aidan Alexander Berwick, for friends, family and strangers alike, is a name that means kindness, love and a spirit unlike any other.
Aidan, a Houston resident and pre-med genetics student, was a dedicated swimmer, National AP Scholar and loving brother, known to all as a gentle, intelligent and caring individual.
When Ajay Ramsunder met Aidan in seventh grade, the two clicked immediately — their mutual shyness creating a bond that lasted from middle school into college.
“He was kind of quiet like me and so I just really liked spending time with him,” Ramsunder said. “We just liked sitting with each other and spending time with each other. Our lives just always seemed to connect in such a way that we never had a reason to actively lose contact with each other.”
Ramsunder said Aidan never met a stranger or friend he wouldn’t help. Ramsunder recalled a time when his bike broke on campus and Aidan rushed to his aid.
“I was like, ‘Hey this happened,’ and he said, ‘Let me help you push it back to your dorm,’” Ramsunder said. “I was like, ‘You really don’t have to do that dude,’ but he said, ‘There’s no problem,’ and he actually wanted to help. He helped me push it most, if not all, the way there and after we went and got dinner. But he was there, and he just wanted to help me with my bike and just everything that had happened.”
Throughout his life, Aidan exemplified selfless service and loyalty, always showing compassion, kindness and love to everyone he met.
“Honestly, every time I talked to him, he’d always ask me how I was doing,” Ramsunder said. “He would always be there for me. He was never actively rude or mean to anyone that I knew of. I never had a bad memory with him because he was so kind and such a good person. If I needed something, he’d always be like, ‘Here, let me help you with that.’ I didn’t even ask him. He was just always there.”
Aidan was a scholar, tutor and all-around hard worker. He never failed to make time for friends or fun activities such as watching anime or playing “Super Smash Bros.” and “Dungeons & Dragons.”
“He’d always invite me over to play ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ with his best friends, and he’d always try to stay connected with me even if we hadn’t talked in a while,” Ramsunder said. “We connected on D&D and video games, and I started getting into anime because of him. He was just that kind of person who always looked out for his friends and was always super kind to everyone.”
Any encounter with Aidan would leave a lasting impression of uniqueness that shone from his soul, Ramsunder said.
“He was just a person who if you met him, you’d know he was someone that was different, someone that was new, someone you hadn’t ever met before,” Ramsunder said. “He was someone you want to spend time with, someone you want to learn more about because he was such an interesting and unique person. If he ever opened up to you, you’d just be like, ‘Man, this kid is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.’ He just had that sort of personality.”
Aidan had a spirit full of love. Ramsunder said Aidan’s kindness, generosity and uniqueness will live on in his memory forever.
“Every few minutes, I’ll always think about him as a person, him as a friend,” Ramsunder said. “He was one of those one-in-a-million people who would always be there for you. I wish everyone could have gotten to know him because he was such a very kind and gentle soul who would always help people and be around for everyone.”