In Memoriam

Alla Cohen

It adorned the parlor of neighbors' home: The artist depicted a lovely maiden, A beautiful maiden in bloom of her youth, She looked at the mirror, And from the mirror Her Old Age stared at her - Her own face - but ravaged by Time, Ravaged by trouble, suffering, illness... I can't forget the haunting expression The artist gave to her lovely face - She looked at the mirror with consternation, Astonishment and despair... I think she was afraid of life - And prayed and dreamt of dying young - To be spared from being old - From the horror of being old... And I think of you, my dear girl! Almighty called you - You had to obey - You went to Heaven, lovely and young, Being eager, oh so eager to live, Athirst to live, so athirst - Fighting for every week, every day! You were also wise - Mature and wise - I think you'd have accepted with joy Every wrinkle or mark, every hint, every sign - If only you knew That you would be able To live to really ripe old age As to look at the mirror and see your face Ravaged by Time, ravaged by trouble - You would have welcomed the change! It is useless to guess What could have been. You are there, in Heaven, Young forever. "The most precious treasure is buried there, but even more precious hopes"

Zhengmin Xue

Kathy, thank you for the beauty you brought into our lives. Your journey, though too short, was a profound gift to us all. Rest in peace, dear angel, knowing you have changed us forever. You will always be my greatest pride and joy, and I am eternally grateful for every moment we shared.

Wei Shi

寶貝,你去得如此匆匆, 來不及一場戀愛一場事業,來不及和媽媽好好道別...今天媽媽翻開了你去年6月悄悄為我收集的各種風格的樂曲, 你鍾愛的流行歌曲,還有你自己創作的曲子. 一曲曲一首首,讓媽媽淚流如雨. 寶貝,媽媽好慚愧自己從來沒能走近你的内心世界, 它是如此豐富美好動人! 你是如此的才華橫溢! 謝謝你給 媽媽今後的沒有你的世界裏留下這麽多美好的回憶,你的懂事和體貼,你彈琴的樣子,你美麗陽光的笑顔,或你淡淡的憂慮, 以及你創作的曲子, 你站在領獎台上自豪興奮的模樣, 點點滴滴永遠伴隨我, 愛你,思念你直到我們再次相見..... —all these little things will accompany me forever. I love you, miss you, until we meet again...

Yu Lin

My Dearest Sister: I miss you more than words can say. Your talent, kindness, and amazing spirit made this world a better place, and it's just not the same without you. You brought so much light into our lives, and I'll always cherish the memories we made together! Life feels a bit dimmer without your laughter and your incredible talent shining bright. I wish we had more time together, but I'll carry you in my heart forever.

KP Kimberly Volunteer of the Dragonfly Project

The Dragonfly Story “In the bottom of an old pond lived some grubs who could not understand why none of their group ever came back after crawling up the stems of the lilies to the top of the water. They promised each other that the next one who was called to make the upward climb would return and tell what happened to him. Soon one of them felt an urgent impulse to seek the surface; he rested himself on the top of a lily pad and went through a glorious transformation, which made him a dragonfly with beautiful wings. In vain he tried to keep his promise. Flying back and forth over the pond, he peered down at his friends below. Then he realized that even if they could see him they would not recognize such a radiant creature as one of their number. The fact that we cannot see our friends or communicate with them after the transformation, which we call death, is no proof that they cease to exist.” Walter Dudley Cavert

Kylin G

There was no way to write a short tribute for Kathy without feeling that one has left something unsaid. Kathy was the most multi-talented person I have ever met. She was gifted with a lot and she had a remarkable way of sharing her gift with others, whether through music, homework help, ideas, conversations. In my recollection, she was always happy to lend a helping hand when someone got stuck on a problem, even if the problem wasn't her's. This applied both inside and outside the classroom. She was always the one who encourages others to do more, go for new experiences, and enjoy the present. In so many ways, she had set the bench mark of brilliance for me and I would have never been able to get to where I am today without her. I will always remember her for the impact she's had on my life and she will be forever the smartest girl I know.

Yan Ni

亲爱的Kathy妈妈，请接受我们2025级家长们一个大大的拥抱，请节哀珍重！我们2025的家长和同学们都在为你祈祷渡过这个艰难时刻，都在为你的坚强和伟大而动容！Kathy是上帝派到人间美丽而聪慧的天使，她给了我们最明媚的甜美微笑，最努力的进取榜样，最睿智的人格魅力，最难忘的不凡瞬间，她在我们周围的这段日子是我们的福缘，现在上帝召唤她回天家，那里没有病痛，没有压力，只有无尽的暖阳和幸福！虽然不舍，但是我们还是无限地祝福她在天堂永远快乐！Kathy也会在天堂保佑妈妈和妹妹平安顺利！

Wenjie Cheng

Kathy 就是一个天使，飞到人间20 年，给家人和朋友带来无尽的欢乐。现在她的任务完成了，又回到天上，继续做天使，观望所有爱她的人。

Jen

Dear Kathy, Your grace and beauty, both inside and out, illuminated the lives of those around you. Your influence on my daughter's love for math and her passion for music will forever be cherished. Rest in peace!

Yan-Ling

Kathy will be remembered for her beautiful smile, exceptional talent, and genuine kindness. She will be greatly missed.

John Zhu

很震惊 Kathy 不幸去世的消息，非常痛惜，她那么美丽、年轻和才华横溢。 Kathy小时候是我数学班的学生，也是我在莱镇小学教练小奥数队时的优秀生。她初中时和我儿子Justin 和其他同学，Anka, Janabel, Conway等一起参加MathCounts，他们为Kathy 的早逝也感到非常悲痛，特地定制了花篮悼念。 人生无常，唯一欣慰的是 Kathy 短暂的一生是幸福的和发挥了卓越聪明才智的，“质本洁来还洁去“，她现在不用面对越来越不易的成人世界，可以在天堂和鲜花里永生。

Darya Iranmanesh

I was lucky enough to call Kathy my best friend growing up. I remember meeting her in Mrs. Mason’s kindergarten class. During recess, Kathy would push me on the tire swing, bring me friendship bracelets, and trade Japanese erasers with me. I now keep a Japanese eraser penguin in my purse so that Kathy is always with me. She made school fun and even motivated me to go to STEM afterschool programs. I remember when one of my classmates was making fun of me; the moment Kathy realized what was going on, she made sure that kid never bothered me again. Kathy was always kind and selfless and she would do anything for her friends and family. She would always help me with my homework in her spare time and made time for regular play-dates. I had her home phone number memorized because we would call one another every day which drove our parents nuts. When she switched elementary schools for fifth grade, I missed her so much. Kathy and I reconnected in middle school and she was still explaining math homework to me and joined me at lunch when I was sitting alone. Kathy was fearless and I think of her whenever I am afraid, asking myself, “would Kathy fear this?” Kathy, your friendship made my life better and each day brighter. The lessons you taught me stick with me in everything I do and I cherish the memories we shared. Thank you for being my friend and for looking out for me. I miss you and I hope you know that you are always in my heart. Rest in peace.❤️❤️

Evan Fang

Kathy had many special relationships with many people, but I am particularly thankful that she got to be my dad's math student. During those tutoring sessions she would fearlessly attempt insanely difficult problems that other students would normally give up on. And every time she finished a really hard question, my dad would add a note in the problem set stating "Solved by Kathy Xue on _______" (there are dozens of problems labelled like this). Kathy's genuine curiosity and determination helped my dad find joy in teaching and now inspires me to continuously learn new and interesting things. Rest in peace <3

Valeria

Kathy was a friend I treasured as one of my closer ones starting when I met her in 5th grade, elementary school. She was bold, passionate, and unafraid to speak her thoughts. I was often impressed by her achievements and her dedication for the things she enjoyed, like math, music, and video games. She was always someone to look up to. Her personality was one to cherish and her accomplishments worthy of admiration. I remember when we would message each other for hours sometimes talking about Undertale or Pokemon. She taught me a good amount, and when she did you could see the passion she had. She put her all into everything she did, and her loss is felt by all. She was so young with such a shining personality, and I hope she knew how much we all miss her now. Rest in peace Kathy, you were a star.

Linda

Kathy was an incredible person and an amazing friend to me. We shared countless memories together during math team in middle school and high school. She often helped work through problems with me, and I was always impressed by not only how smart she was, but also her dedication to constantly learning more and helping others. We were also classmates at MIT, and she was one of my closest friends in college. We lived in the same dorm, Macgregor House, and I remember meeting with her to make boba, get dinner, or even just work on psets together; the times I spent with her are some of my most cherished memories from college. Kathy was one of the smartest, kindest, and bravest people that I know, and I miss her so much. Rest in peace ❤️.

Kevin Zhao

Kathy was one of the brightest students I've ever met. I remember she'd always come up with extremely clever solutions at math team, while I enjoyed chatting with her during computer science classes a lot! I still remember the day that I saw Kathy's ecstatic expression on the day she got the MOP invite and immediately rushed towards us to share the news - we were all so proud of her. Rest in peace, Kathy; we'll always remember you.

Lucy Epstein

Kathy was a great friend of mine from middle school all the way to college. She was a great math teammate who motivated me to work even harder myself after seeing how much time she was putting in. She was also one of the first people I knew who had similar music taste to me. In college, we were in the same orientation group and had some nice conversations, which were some of the last times I talked to her. I wish we could've talked more. RIP Kathy, you'll be missed forever.

Owen Jiang

Kathy was a symbol of so much. She made Math Team an exciting place and she was everlastingly bright. I only wish I got to know her better. May you soar high above in the sky. ❤️

Yong Huang

We are deeply heartbroken by the loss of Kathy, a truly brilliant and beautiful young girl. She is not only exceptionally gifted in both math and music, but also touched the hearts of everyone around her with her kindness and resilience. Her remarkable intelligence and achievements will never be forgotten. Kathy and her family faced her illness together with incredible strength and courage. May she find eternal peace in heaven, where her spirit will shine forever. Our thoughts are with her family, and we hope they will find comfort in the love and cherished memories she leaves behind. We miss you dearly, Kathy!

刘芳

第一次见到Kathy是在CBCGB教会的地下室。在熙熙攘攘的人群中，这个七八岁的小姑娘如同仙露明珠一般耀眼。标准的鹅蛋脸，皮肤白嫩如奶油，眼睛清澈如山泉。她的美让我惊叹。她旁边还有一个脸蛋鲜润如苹果，可爱如洋娃娃的妹妹。有这样的两个女儿，这个家庭多么幸运！可是紧接着我就发现这个家庭竟和我的家庭一样不幸：那可爱的小女儿Audrey竟然和我女儿一样是自闭症。这一条纽带把我们两个家庭紧紧的联系起来，从此成了已经十几年的好朋友。我们也一点点地见证着Kathy的成长，甚至让我们的儿子Alan亦步亦趋地跟随她。Alan去了她同一个启蒙的钢琴老师，上了同样的数学课后班。只是Kathy的天才无人能及。在两家人的聚会中，我们经常钦佩羡慕地听到Kathy在钢琴，在作曲，在数学上的惊人成就。带着浅浅的笑，她总是那么温柔文静美丽，如同不染凡尘的小仙女。她还乐于奉献，开设义务数学补习班，俨然一个成熟的小老师。但是当我们听到她躲在被子里偷偷玩游戏的时候，她立刻又还原成一个精灵鲜活的女孩。记得那一年我们在Cape Cod 租了一个大房子，和她们一家同住了几天。我们一起吃饭，骑车，去林中漫步，湖边玩耍，度过了一段愉快难忘的时光，留下了许多美好的照片。但是Kathy心心念念最喜欢的却是Parasailing，这让我们惊奇地看到了她富于激情和探险的一面。她就像一颗钻石，折射出许多面的光芒，每一面都璀璨夺目。这样的宝贵钻石，自然会被顶尖学府收入囊中。当我们听到她进入MIT的时候，都由衷的为她高兴，也和她父母一起畅想她的美好未来。她得了脑瘤的消息，真是晴天霹雳。她和她母亲，在这样的噩耗面前都表现出可敬的勇气。每一次去她家，Kathy仍然用浅浅的微笑迎接我们。虽然开始言语不清，行动不便，她也仍然坚持下楼和我们一起坐在桌边聊天，不时发出笑声，依然愉快如昨日。在疾病面前，她和她父母开始重新思考生命的意义和永恒的存在，并且接受了耶稣基督作为她们的救赎。那一日，我和牧师去到她家给她施洗。她看向她母亲，眼神中仿佛在问，你会和我一起么？得着她母亲慈爱肯定的回答，她再次露出幸福安心的浅笑。将近人生的尽头，她没有愤怒，没有苦毒，仿佛已经看到了天上永恒美好的一切。安息吧，Kathy，在天上我们必将重聚，你还可以为我们弹奏你自己谱的曲子，一起赞美神！

Wei Shi

Wonderful-Tones and I You've been on the ledge but no one knows you're lost Tryna tell a friend, but something makes you stop Even in your head, it's hard to have a thought, oh And all the things that used to make you smile have gone, oh I'll stay with you, stay by your side Together we will hold on, hold on for the ride We don't need to speak, just look up at the lights With me now I think you're wonderful If you could only see you through my eyes And know that I will stay with you, stay with you, oh Stay with you, won't let you go I think you're wonderful, so wonderful tonight When you've been tryna hold the tears back from your eyes And every day just feels like it gets harder each time I'll stay with you, stay by your side Together we will hold on, hold on for the ride We don't need to speak, just look up at the lights With me now I think you're wonderful If you could only see you through my eyes (my eyes) And know that I will stay with you, stay with you, oh Stay with you, won't let you go I think you're wonderful, so wonderful tonight Oh-oh Oh Oh-oh Oh I'll stay with you, stay by your side Together we will hold on, hold on for the ride We don't need speeches, look up at the lights With me now I think you're wonderful If you could only see you through my eyes (my eyes) And know that I will stay with you, stay with you, oh Stay with you, won't let you go I think you're wonderful, so wonderful tonight

Wei Shi

宝贝，此刻是2/4/2025的凌晨。去年此时，万般的无奈与不舍，冰清玉洁如仙子的你还是永远离开了我们。妈妈是何等的心疼懊悔悲伤，这些都是正常的，宝贝请不要担心，相信妈妈终将会调整好自己坚强起来。对了，前天晚上，妈妈，哥哥和Alana一起看电视Grammys的颁奖晚会。我们居然看到了天才作曲家Jacob Collier，他年轻酷帅，现场演奏精湛且激情飞扬。他与Taylor Swift一同被提名艾美奖。妈妈至今仍保留着那段在你病重时，Jacob从伦敦特意拍的问候你的视频，他说到，希望能再次见到你,Kathy… 爱你，想你，直到我们再次相见

Yu Lin

We miss you Kathy!

Wei Shi

Written on Mother's Day: From the moment I boarded the plane yesterday, tears have been streaming uncontrollably. Leaving behind the luxurious, beautiful, and dreamlike warmth of my hometown, I returned once again to the cold, raw reality of Boston. Everything felt like a cruel contrast, as though dictated by fate. In these days, the parents of the MIT Class of 2025 are immersed in joy and pride, celebrating their children’s glorious graduation. But Kathy... you were also part of the Class of 2025... Thinking of this twists my heart in pain. As soon as I arrived back in Boston, I went straight to see you. The Charles River flows quietly, gently passing by the campus where you once walked. And you, so pure and angelic, like a fairy untouched by the world, now rest forever by its shores. My heart is torn, like it's being ripped apart, dear. Sweetheart, you must promise me—take care of yourself, protect yourself, and always stay safe. Be happy, be full of good luck! Go and follow the beautiful, meaningful journey that lies ahead for you. Love you, miss you, until we meet again...