Friends, family remember Peter Sakr with vigil, Rosary

Friends and family lit candles and remembered the life of Peter Sakr Friday night in Wheatfield Park. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

Friends from Paloma Valley High School and throughout the community joined Lebanese family members in two memorials to 18-year-old Peter Sakr over the weekend.

Sakr, 18, died in a head-on collision on Scott Road in the early morning hours of March 21. He was living with his uncle and grandmother, but most of his family live in Lebanon. Some of them arrived in time for the two memorials honoring a young man who was said to be one of the kindest and friendliest members of the teenage and young adult community.

About 150 people gathered in Wheatfield Park for a candlelight vigil Friday night. Many of them knew Sakr from Paloma Valley High, where he graduated last June. Former teammates and friends told stories about Sakr's enthusiasm for sports, especially basketball. A video was shown with photos and remembrances of friends and family.

During the lighting of candles as darkness fell, those in attendance gathered around Sakr's parents, his cousin and his girlfriend, Kenna Shernicoff.

"Whoever knew Peter knew he brought that positive energy to affect other people's lives," said Josh Madrid, one of Sakr's best friends. "He wanted to make someone else's day better."

Guests observed a moment of silence at the start of the vigil. Many brought canned goods at the request of the event organizers to be donated in Sakr's name to the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard.

Saturday night, friends and family gathered for a viewing and Rosary at Evans-Brown Mortuary. Leah Sakr, a cousin of Peter, read a message from Peter's siblings who couldn't be there in person: Vanessa and her husband Chris; Petra; and Jason.

The message read, in part:

Peter was our baby brother and we all had, including our parents, a special bond with him. He was the soft spot of our family. Our parents, Sharbel and Jeanette, made sure that he had everything he needed. All they ever wanted was to make him happy and to support his dreams. Out of all of us, Peter resembled our father the most. Being the youngest, we always joked that it took our parents four tries to perfect the carbon copy of our father, Sharbel! They look identical! It’s unbelievable.

As his older siblings, we remember all the times he made us laugh, and we will always cherish the amazing times we shared together. He was full of positive energy. It was so contagious.

Peter was always surrounded by people who loved him and supported him. Our uncles, aunts and cousins from both sides of the family would have done anything for him. He was so loved! During the last few years while living in Menifee, he got closer and closer to our Teta Marie, uncle Khalil, aunt Hayat and uncle Maurice. Maurice was like a second father to him, he did everything for him; he encouraged his dreams, and always worried about Peter’s safety and wellbeing. We want to thank Maurice from the bottom of our hearts for looking after Peter.

Peter lived with us in Lebanon until the age of 16 and moved to California to complete high school. This is where most of you have met him. For the past three years – since he moved to Menifee – all we have been doing is counting the days until he comes back home to us. We would wait six months to get to see him, to spend time with him, and because we would have the best time together, time would fly when we were all together… And then we would have to wait another six months, to have only one month with him. It was always so hard to say goodbye.

You cannot imagine how hard it is for us to say goodbye right now. We haven’t seen him since Christmas. Knowing that you were all with him, loving him, making him laugh and taking good care of him gives us so much peace and bring us joy. All we ever wanted for our baby brother is for him to be happy.

Peter Sakr's family members listen to speakers and prepare to light candles at the vigil Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

Guests at Friday night's candlelight vigil signed a T-shirt and poster in Sakr's memory.

Peter (far left) poses with members of his Lebanese family. Photo courtesy of Leah Sakr