It has been twenty years since the senseless murder at a downtown Denver bus stop shined the light on a man who inspired many in Colorado to embrace his people and his American dream and out of something tragic came something positive between a small village and our entire state.
Oumar Dia worked long hours at the downtown Denver Hyatt cleaning rooms and running luggage. He sent his paychecks back to his village to support his wife and three children.
But on November 18, 1997 a random act of violence in our city ended Dia's life. Nathan Thill and Jeremiah Barnum spotted Dia waiting for his ride home. Thill called Dia racist names, knocked off his cap then fired three bullets into his chest and neck. Thill also shot and paralyzed the woman who witnessed the murder Jeannie VanVelkenburg.
One seemingly random act of violence set off a chain of random acts of kindness. The more Colorado learned about this crime, the more we learned about this man, the smaller the world became.
Then something remarkable happened. People started sending money to Oumar Dia's former boss at the Hyatt. He set up the Oumar Dia memorial fund. $250,000 has helped Oumar Dia, in death, realize his life's dream.
Dia's African village Diorbivol now has a pump to bring water to the dry fields that surround the area. People no longer go hungry.
Villagers have a new grinder, so instead of pounding grain for hours preparing it for meals they can now spend more time with their families.
The fund built a new school.
Denver based Project Cure rounded up a half million dollars in medical supplies and a team of doctors and nurses and opened a medical clinic in the village last year.
The National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden donated solar lights to the village. Oumar Dia saved money for the lights before his murder.
Oumar Dia worked long hours at the downtown Denver Hyatt cleaning rooms and running luggage. He sent his paychecks back to his village to support his wife and three children.
But on November 18, 1997 a random act of violence in our city ended Dia's life. Nathan Thill and Jeremiah Barnum spotted Dia waiting for his ride home. Thill called Dia racist names, knocked off his cap then fired three bullets into his chest and neck. Thill also shot and paralyzed the woman who witnessed the murder Jeannie VanVelkenburg.
One seemingly random act of violence set off a chain of random acts of kindness. The more Colorado learned about this crime, the more we learned about this man, the smaller the world became.
Then something remarkable happened. People started sending money to Oumar Dia's former boss at the Hyatt. He set up the Oumar Dia memorial fund. $250,000 has helped Oumar Dia, in death, realize his life's dream.
Dia's African village Diorbivol now has a pump to bring water to the dry fields that surround the area. People no longer go hungry.
Villagers have a new grinder, so instead of pounding grain for hours preparing it for meals they can now spend more time with their families.
The fund built a new school.
Denver based Project Cure rounded up a half million dollars in medical supplies and a team of doctors and nurses and opened a medical clinic in the village last year.
The National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden donated solar lights to the village. Oumar Dia saved money for the lights before his murder.
It has been twenty years since the senseless murder at a downtown Denver bus stop shined the light on a man who inspired many in Colorado to embrace his people and his American dream and out of something tragic came something positive between a small village and our entire state.
Oumar Dia worked long hours at the downtown Denver Hyatt cleaning rooms and running luggage. He sent his paychecks back to his village to support his wife and three children.
But on November 18, 1997 a random act of violence in our city ended Dia's life. Nathan Thill and Jeremiah Barnum spotted Dia waiting for his ride home. Thill called Dia racist names, knocked off his cap then fired three bullets into his chest and neck. Thill also shot and paralyzed the woman who witnessed the murder Jeannie VanVelkenburg.
One seemingly random act of violence set off a chain of random acts of kindness. The more Colorado learned about this crime, the more we learned about this man, the smaller the world became.
Then something remarkable happened. People started sending money to Oumar Dia's former boss at the Hyatt. He set up the Oumar Dia memorial fund. $250,000 has helped Oumar Dia, in death, realize his life's dream.
Dia's African village Diorbivol now has a pump to bring water to the dry fields that surround the area. People no longer go hungry.
Villagers have a new grinder, so instead of pounding grain for hours preparing it for meals they can now spend more time with their families.
The fund built a new school.
Denver based Project Cure rounded up a half million dollars in medical supplies and a team of doctors and nurses and opened a medical clinic in the village last year.
The National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden donated solar lights to the village. Oumar Dia saved money for the lights before his murder.
Oumar Dia worked long hours at the downtown Denver Hyatt cleaning rooms and running luggage. He sent his paychecks back to his village to support his wife and three children.
But on November 18, 1997 a random act of violence in our city ended Dia's life. Nathan Thill and Jeremiah Barnum spotted Dia waiting for his ride home. Thill called Dia racist names, knocked off his cap then fired three bullets into his chest and neck. Thill also shot and paralyzed the woman who witnessed the murder Jeannie VanVelkenburg.
One seemingly random act of violence set off a chain of random acts of kindness. The more Colorado learned about this crime, the more we learned about this man, the smaller the world became.
Then something remarkable happened. People started sending money to Oumar Dia's former boss at the Hyatt. He set up the Oumar Dia memorial fund. $250,000 has helped Oumar Dia, in death, realize his life's dream.
Dia's African village Diorbivol now has a pump to bring water to the dry fields that surround the area. People no longer go hungry.
Villagers have a new grinder, so instead of pounding grain for hours preparing it for meals they can now spend more time with their families.
The fund built a new school.
Denver based Project Cure rounded up a half million dollars in medical supplies and a team of doctors and nurses and opened a medical clinic in the village last year.
The National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden donated solar lights to the village. Oumar Dia saved money for the lights before his murder.
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