Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 27/Oct 19:37

Brilliant law student dies on eve of UWI grad

ON October 22, one day before she was due to don her gown and cross the stage at UWI’s St Augustine campus to collect her Bachelor of Laws degree with first-class honours, Alexia Trim died in Colombia, where she had been receiving medical treatment. The 23-year-old Belmont native had battled a condition known as Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) — an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that can cause bleeding in the brain. Though she endured health challenges throughout her studies, she only showed her classmates and lecturers her brilliance, humility and determination. She quietly endured her pain and suffering. Trim’s passing sent shockwaves through the Faculty of Law and among her peers, who learned of her death via a WhatsApp group chat on the eve of their graduation ceremony. “While we knew she was battling a medical condition, no one realised how serious it was,” said one classmate. “She was always cheerful and full of life.” Instead of applause upon receiving her certificate, a moment of silence for her departed soul spoke louder than any sound as her peers discreetly wiped tears from their eyes, when valedictorian Jehoshua Williams paid tribute during his address “We remember our classmate, Alexia Trim, who should have crossed the stage with us today. Her absence is deeply felt, yet her spirit remains part of our journey,” Williams said. A statement from The University of the West Indies (UWI) said Trim had been airlifted to Colombia for a procedure related to her condition. Complications arose following surgery, and she passed away in intensive care shortly after 5 pm on October 22. Though her grieving parents chose not to speak publicly, tributes have poured in from friends, classmates, and lecturers who admired her courage and academic excellence. Dean at the Faculty of Law Dr Alicia Elias-Roberts in a WhatsApp message to Newsday, said Trim was an exceptional student and a remarkable young woman, facing every challenge with courage, grace, and determination. “Her brilliance, compassion, and commitment to justice embodied the very spirit of the Faculty of Law, and her absence is deeply felt by all who knew her. On behalf of the Faculty of Law, of The UWI St Augustine Campus I extend our sincerest condolences to her family and friends.” Dr Safiya Ali, one of her lecturers and the faculty’s moot court supervisor also described her as “an exceptional student and remarkable young woman.” “Even while facing immense personal challenges, Alexia excelled. She was on the Dean’s Honour List, received multiple prizes, and graduated with first-class honours. She would have entered the Hugh Wooding Law School this year,” Ali said. Trim’s academic brilliance shone brightest in March this year when she led UWI’s team in the XV Annual Caribbean Court of Justice International Law Moot Competition. That competition drew participating teams from the Anton de Kom University of Suriname, the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad, Jamaica’s Norman Manley Law School, the Eugene Dupuch Law School, Bahamas, the University of Guyana; as well as The UWI Mona, St Augustine and Cave Hill campuses. The competition is like a real trial, and teams are adjudicated based on their ability to answer, take interruptions from judges and make their arguments. The team that Trim led, along with Sage Mitchell and Maryam Salaamat, placed second. She was also named Best Oralist which is a rare and prestigious recognition, Ali said. “Despite her discomfort, she led the team to success. Her courage and dedication were extraordinary.” Even though the condition manifested itself with a swollen nose, Ali said Trim continued to face the public with quiet dignity. “She was brave enough to appear on social media and on stage despite knowing her appearance might draw attention. That kind of strength is rare.” UWI honoured her achievements at the Faculty of Law’s Evening of Excellence on October 17, where her aunt accepted the awards on her behalf. “Alexia shone brightly in her short life. There are people who live much longer and never accomplish what she did. Her family should be proud of the light she brought into this world.” There have been calls on social media for the university to memorialise Trim’s contribution and achievements. Ali said it is an idea the faculty may consider after discussions with her family. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. The post Brilliant law student dies on eve of UWI grad appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.