Help Vinay & Sameer

Dear Friends of Sameer and Reena,

As most of you know by now, Sameer left us this morning a little before 5 AM for a higher abode. He left after a valiant and positive struggle with leukemia and the subsequent accumulation of issues from multiple chemotherapies. We felt the love of many hospital staff members who had looked after him in their efforts to nurture him to health.

His last rites were performed starting at 3:30 PM by Swami Bhaskaranandaji and Swami Avikaranandaji of the Vedanta Society of Western Washington according to the Hindu tradition, and the cremation followed. The sound of Vedic chants filled the chapel of the funeral home. We know he went in peace and he also looked at peace. We all prayed and continue to pray for God to grant him everlasting bliss.

The last rites ceremony was attended by the family and a few close friends who were able to fly from the San Francisco area just in time. We plan to hold a memorial service for Sameer on Saturday at 3 PM in the Seattle area. We will decide on the venue tomorrow and let you know further details.

Some of you have enquired if you could do something in Sameer’s memory. We request that you do not send flowers or other gifts. If you would like to make a donation in Sameer’s memory, we would suggest that you donate to any one or more of the following organizations:

· Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (http://www.seattlecca.org/aboutscca/donations.htm)

· Vedanta Society of Western Washington (http://vedanta-seattle.org/pages/contact.html)

· People for Progress in India, Seattle (http://www.ppi-usa.org/webroot/HTML/ContactUs.htm)

· Unitus (http://76.12.48.180/sections/involved/involved_cu_main.asp)

All four organizations have played a meaningful role in Sameer’s life and growth as a person. If you wish to make a gift in the memory of Sameer, please include his full name as well as the following so our family can be informed of your gift:

The Bhatia Family
8241 SE 67^th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040

76 Responses

Sai Bala Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
May Sameer’s soul rest in peace !!
Sai Ram
Vinod Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
My heartfelt condolences to all the family and friends Sameer left behind. He touched many people in many cities, states, and even countries and we’re all richer for having known him.
Aparna Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Dear Bhatia Family,

May Sameer’s soul find everlasting peace. Sameer was a true hero in every sense of the word. Although I did not know him personally, I would come to the website daily. I would read his words and they would inspire me to be a better person in my life. What a fighter!

My thoughts and prayers are with all of his family and friends. May God shower his blessings upon you. Sameer will be looking over all of you with his kind and loving spirit.

Aparna
KKT Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
So sorry to hear of Sameer’s passing today.. you, your entire family, and loved ones, are in my thoughts and prayers..
divya Says:
March 27th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
May Sameer’s soul rest in peace. I have been reading his updates for a while. He was a very brave guy who gave his best fight against this dease. My heart goes out to all of the family he leaves behind, specially his wife & parents. May god give u the strength to face his absence.

My knowledge of this disease started with Baby Nirali - and her loss has been a huge blow personally - though I have never met her anytime. I still find it hard to accept her demise. Many more cases are coming to light these days - specially of Indians falling prey to this health condition, and every other person who leaves us only makes it worse.

Soo pray and wish that someone invents a cure soon enough before we loose many more lives.
Amit Tyagi Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 3:56 am
I feel very sorry after reading Sameer’s demise.I have been visiting the site regularly.I can feel the pain which Reena and Sameer’s family must be having.
I am happy to see that Sameer faught till the end.Life and Death is in hands of Destiny,we should try our best to come out of difficult situations.We may fail or we may pass
but we must try.

I can relate to Sameer’s family.I lost my elder brother,Anurag,36 to ALL.At times I feel very sad but at times I feel happy that at least he lived his life in full gear after the
disease struck at the age of 32.Unfortunately,it relapsed after 4 years and he got infection in the first relapsed chemo itself.He was also a figther,fought till the last breadth and was hopeful of a recovery himself.Sometimes i feel pained when I think that he wanted to live.
I could find out that Sameer was a darling for his friends and family members.I have this strong feeling that guys who are good,only leaves early.

May Sameer live in peace and the family remains in good spirit.

Amit
Chandigarh
Shalini Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Dear Bhatia Family and close friends of Sameer,

I send my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to all of you during this very difficult time. Sameer was a fighter in the purest more honorable sense of the word. I would visit this website and his words would be an inspiration to me every single day–his positivity and energy were absolutely incredible. He was truly a special soul and I’m so glad his strength and perseverence is preserved on this blog for all to see.

I met Sameer through my friend Melindah during a short span of time when I lived in San Francisco and he was always such a nice guy who always had a smile on his face.

God rest his soul.

Om bhur bhuvas svaha
Tat savitur varenium
Bhargho devas ye dhi mahi
Diyo yo naha prachodayat
Om.

Rest in eternal peace Sameer. You have left a lasing impression on so many of us and you will always be in our hearts.

Always,

Shalini
Preeti Manik Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Dear Bhatia family
I wanted to pass on my heartfelt condolences. May Sameer’s soul find peace and you find comfort at this time.
Saily and Rajiv Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Sameer has touched the lives of many people. He will not be forgotten. May his soul rest in peace. May you find the strength to deal with this immense loss.
Sangeetha and Rajesh Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:29 am
We are very sorry to read about Sameer’s passing away. Our heartfelt condolences to you and your family
Prakash Gopinath Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:35 am
We were all very touched and moved by Sameer’s story and sheer bravery over the last year. He serves as an inspiration to us all to keep fighting, to never give up. He’s truly a hero.

To Reena and the rest of Sameer’s beautiful family, my deepest condolences to you all. Sameer has left an everlasting mark on this world, has inspired many of us to get up and get active in our own community, and has lifted us when we’re feeling down. You should feel proud to have been so close to such a wonderful person.

Our heartfelt thoughts are always with you.

Love,
Prakash
geetha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 6:43 am
My heartfelt condolences to Reena, Kumar Bhatia and all of Sameer’s friends and family. Like so many others, I started my day everyday looking for updates..his fight and indomiable spirit was really inspiring ..about a month back I had a very personal loss too, to lymphoma and can’t wait for the day a definitive cure is found..May God give you all the strength to bear this loss.
Roopa Rao Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Being Vinay’s sister-in-law, i can understand the fight and the pain of this disease. To Reena and the entire family-may you be strong and God bless you all.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you always.
The Rao Family
amitha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Sameer was a strong, positive, amazing person. I say this from the bottom of my heart…you are very lucky to have a son, brother, husband, friend like Sameer. It is rare to find someone who is so strong and brave. I only wish I could have some of his qualities.

My heartfelt condolences to all of Sameer’s family and friends.
Harsha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:29 am
May God give your family the strength to live without your physical presence. You are a hero and always will be. You have been an inspiration to so many people all the world over. Please continue to watch over your family and community from your heavenly abode.
Rupa Gawle Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:29 am
I’m so deeply sorry to hear this and my prayers and best wishes are with Reena and Sameers family. I recently lost my mother so I know what is like and I know words don’t always express what one feels deep inside. I’ve watched Sameers progress since I learnt of him and have rooted for him because I’m a newly wed like him. I wish the Bhatia family and above all Reena strength and peace.

Rupa
Sukhjit Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:33 am
My heartfelt condolences to sameer’s family and friends. He made a huge contribution in increasing the bone marrow donor pool for other asians through the bone marrow drives ,which will help others . May his soul rest in peace.
amisha patel Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I’ve been remembering so many past moments with Sameer in the last 24 hours - taking science classes together at Stanford, performing in Sanskriti shows, and numerous times of just seeing his grinning face. But mostly, I’ve been remembering re-discovering India with him through Project Dosti. Spending weeks together at this crazy YMCA in Bangalore, eating idlis in the restaurant, talking about the day’s plans of doing health surveys in the slums, or practicing our Tamil for our street play. His favorite joke that summer was telling native Tamil speakers that he knew Tamil. Surprised, they would ask him what he knew, and with a straight face, he’d say “Nee vara pytheum!,” which basically means You’re a madman! And then he would crack up. Over and over and over!!

Sameer - you will be sorely missed. But forever, and ever, in our hearts. Much, much love to Sameer’s family and friends.
Vasan Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Mr. Kumar Bhatia,

Very sorry to hear about Sameer. May God give you and your family all the courage and strength to bear.

God Bless.

Love,
Vasan.
Vandana Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Dear Kumar uncle, Reena & family,

My deepest & heartfelt condolences to you all during this time. There are very few instances when I had met Sameer, which too was years ago, but those times are so very clear & vivid in my mind. He has fought hard and with a great spirit that has no doubt inspired so many of us.
He and all of you will always be in our hearts and minds.

Vandana
Ankur & Archana Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 8:11 am
To Bhatia Family,

We are exteremly sorry for your loss, Sameer was loved and admired by all…and we will continue to do so in our hearts. All I can say is that your family has truly inspired us by the strength and compsure displayed during these hard times.

We were lucky enough to have known Sameer, and for thatwe are thankful. May God give him peace and hopefully we can all celebrate his life and not mourn his death.

With deepest condolences…
Ankur & Archana
Madhu Krishnan Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Sameer was such a fighter and tho most of us didn’t know him personally, He managed to grab such a special place in our hearts. He and his positive spirit will live on in all our hearts. Your family has been so amazing. I always wonder why God takes away only good people!
Nita Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Sameer’s courage, vision and spirit touched many, many more people than he or his family could possibly know. I have personally never even met him, but came to know of him last summer through the internet campaign to get more South Asians to register on the bone marrow donor list. Many of my friends are now also registered because of Sameer and Vinay. Through Sameer and with God’s grace we may be able to help another person survive. Dear Bhatia family, you have been very generous in allowing us all to stay connected with you in every step of his final journey. May his spirit rest in peace and may peace be with all who knew and loved him.
Laavanya Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I would like to convey my condolences to all of Sameer’s loved ones.
I am saddened to hear of his death. He fought this with dignity
and grace.

Asatoma Sadgamaya
Thamaso Maa Jyothir Gamaya
Mrithyor Maa Amrutham Gamaya
Aum Shanti Shanti Shantihi

God bless,
Laavanya
Sowmya Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 9:07 am
My heartfelt condolences to Reena, Kumar and all of Sameer’s friends and family. You made us realize what is life and “DO NOT GIVE UP” attitude. You were and will be a great inspiration to the community.

May you rest in peace!
Deepa & Mauricio Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Kumar Uncle and Reena

Our thoughts are prayers are with you. Sameer has been in our prayers every single day. May his soul rest in peace. He will be remembered and missed.

Deepa and Mauricio Solorzano
Anu Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:01 am
My deepest condolences to Sameer’s family. May you find peace in knowing that he left this world a better place. I am amazed by his courage.

Anu
Ravi Sanga Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Dear Bhatia family, You are all in our prayers. Like many others, I met Sameer years ago and he did leave a lasting impression. What was even more of an impression to me personallywas the deep friendship and bond that you, Kumar Uncle had with him. He was lucky to have a dad like you and you were all fortunate to be blessed by him.

May Sameers soul rest in peace and may memories of him and his achievements go on eternally.

Our condolences to the entire Bhatia family, uncle, aunty, Prashant and Reena.

Ravi and Madhu Sanga
Kiran Desai Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:08 am
No words .. He fought a valiant battle and his legacy will always be many who will now find matches. He inspired many to register and work for this cause.

From all ofus who involved in registering asians, our heartfelt condolences to family.
Lakshmi Gopinath Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:10 am
To Reena, Sameer’s parents and all his friends and family,

Please accept our heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in peace. I am Vinay’s aunt and feel like I have lost someone very close in my family. However, Sameer was an inspiration to everyone especially someone who was ready to give up. You must be proud to have known and loved him. He is away from all the pain and suffering. He will live in our hearts now.

Lakshmi
Jim Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:25 am
My heartfelt condolences to the family which has stuck together and shown tremendous grace under such an adversity. Sameer will forever be remembered as a strong minded individual and great fighter with a noble heart. May god grant him peace.

Jim
RR Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Dear Bhatia Family,

I am SO sorry to hear about Sameer. Though I did not know Sameer, I feel as this loss is personal. Sameer was such a brave soul. His courage and attitude in times of adversity is inspirational. The Indian community has lost one of its shining stars. Even in his demise he contributed to the society by generating tremendous awareness about the lack of Asian/Indian donors in the bone marrow registery. Sameer must make you feel so proud!

It is difficult to imagine how you are feeling right now.May God give you the strength to bear this loss. Sameer may not be with us anymore but he will always be remembered and his life will always be celebrated.

Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

-RR
Deepa Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Dear Bhatia Family,

I am deeply sad to hear about this. I must say that I feel extremely humbled before the fight in spirit that Sameer, Reena and all his near one’s have gone through these last few months. I look up to you all to show the same amount of grace and courage in handling my day to day life. Pl know that we all join you in celebrating the life of Sameer.

To Sameer,
Deepa
Neha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Sameer was a kind, bright, funny and inspiring human being and leader, and I am so sad to hear the news of his passing. To his family and friends, I am sending you my sincere condolences and prayers for comfort in this difficult time. Please know that Sameer made a tremendous positive impact on our communities and on each of us personally, and he will always be remembered and honored. Jai Shree Krishna
Shiv Anand Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 11:10 am
As I was enduring my own struggle with cancer, Sameer was my most prevalent inspiration to keep fighting, and to above all, keep laughing. That is what helped me through,that is what gave Sameer his strength and I know that will give strength to his survivors to endure through these difficult times.

God Bless and Best luck for the future
Shiv
Gautam & Ira Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 11:21 am
To Kumar, Sunita and Prashant,

Our deepest condolences…
SRR Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 11:33 am
To the Bhatia family,

I’ve checked Sameer’s blog almost daily from the beginning, and I can say that Sameer was an unbelievable person with so much strength and optimism. We could all learn from him, I know I did. My condolences to your family.
Sudha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
So very sorry to hear of Sameer’s passing. My hearfelt condolences to your family. May his soul rest in peace
Vidur Malik Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Sameer’s fight against such a horrific condition is one of the most inspiring things I have ever heard of. He fought his absolute hardest, and his life will motivate others to fight as well. I did not learn about Sameer until recently, but I will always remember about the effort he made to battle his condition and its side effects, and I know that he has inspired so many people in so many places. May he rest in peace.
Asha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
May Sameer’s soul rest in peace.
Anoop & Aparna Sinha Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
We are very sorry to hear this sad news. Deepest condolences.
VK Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Having met Sameer on several occasions before his illness it was apparent even then that his love for Reena and life itself was strong. After his diagnosis that got even stronger based on my visits to his blog. If many of us could have just half the enthusiasm for life the world would be a better place. As Sameer said in one of his entries “Live each day as if it were your first” should be the anthem by which we live our lives.

My condolences to Reena and the Bhatia family.

May god rest your soul Sameer.

Jai Shree Krishna……
Kavita Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Deepest condolences to everyone in your family. May GOD give you all the strength and courage as you pass through these difficult times.
Aunkur Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Reena and the Bhatia family:

My sincere condolences. I woke up this morning to the very sad news, and have a heavy heart as I write this.

I met Sameer 10 years ago in Chicago and we continued to remain friends through both our journeys back to the bay area. I’ll always remember him as being very kind and outgoing and always happy. It wasn’t until he got sick that I realized what a true soldier Sameer was. I remember having the chance to catch up with him at a drive last year and afterward telling Tina how truly inspired I felt to see him so vibrant and energetic and ready to take this thing on. He’ll always be remembered as a strong and courageous spirit and I think we’re all lucky to have known him.

Sameer, you will be missed. May you rest in peace.

-Aunkur and Tina
anonymous Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Deepest condolences.. Very sad to hear this loss..
bhawna Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I am very shocked to read this news.May he rest in peace.My condolences to his family and lives he touched.
krishna Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
My deepest condolences to Sameer’s family and friends. His strength and spirit touched us all, and the courage and energy with which he tried to make something positive out of all situations. God bless you, Sameer, and all your loved ones, and RIP
Mark Donovan Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Rest in peace, Sameer.

Reena, my thoughts are with you and the rest of your family.
Manisha & Arjun Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
We have very special and strong memories of Sameer and are terribly saddened by this news. We have so many fond memories from our times together in India. He will continue to inspire us and not be forgotten.

Manisha & Arjun
Sharmila Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Deepest condolences to the family. May you find strength in knowing that Sameer left a very positive impact on the world.
nihal mehta Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
sameer was a very special person. his sense of humor, amazing optimism, charisma and most of all–courage– have touched all our lives and will continue to live on forever in each and every one of us. we’ll miss you brother. thoughts and much love to reena and family.
Saranya Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
To Sameer’s Family,

Our sincere condolences to your family. We do not know Sameer and yet we feel such a deep sense of loss!! He has become a son to all of us and we mourn along with you.
God bless your family!!

Sincerely,

The Reddy Family
Raja Gursahani Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Dear Bhatia,

I have heard of Sameer in the past before but I was hoping for his best recovery. I hope that the family can deal with this great loss, and I hope you can find solace with a religous rite that can bring peace to aching hearts. May his soul travel to the highest lokas so he has a peaceful existence there.

namaskar,

Raja Gursahani
Lakshmi Sridharan Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I am Lakshmi from Bangalore India. I had never met Sameer. I came to know about Sameer through Aditya Kumar’s website. I used to regularly read the updates on your website as well.

I can understand what you might be going through as I lost my father about 2 months back to cancer. I used to regularly keep reading your updates to my father to give him confidence. Thank you very much for the inspiration provided.

Please accept my heart felt condolences. May Sameer’s soul rest in peace and May God give all the members of the Bhatia family strength to pass through this difficult phase.

God bless!
Lakshmi
Udaya Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

Sameer was a strong, positive, amazing person.

My heartfelt condolences to all of Sameer’s family and friends.
Varsha Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 12:16 am
To Sameer’s family: I know there is nothing one can say to comfort you now, but at least feel comforted to know that Sameer left a lasting legacy in all our hearts - even people like me who didn’t know him personally. His courage and spirit will continue to inspire me through any adversity I find in life. He was a true hero and in his short life, he lived life richer and larger than most anyone. May he rest in peace and my heart goes out to his family. May God give you lots of strength and courage during this time.
Daljit Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 1:14 am
I am so sorry for your loss… May God bless you all and make this transition a little easier for you.
I did not know Sameer, but did attend the bone marrow drive in los angeles.
My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
divya Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Seems to me that even God couldn’t bear to be apart from this great, loving soul.

i lost my brother to AML a few years ago but i sincerely believe he is with me at every moment and I know Sameer will always be with you all.

love and light,

divya
madhavi Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Iam so so sorry for your loss Mr. Bhatia , Mrs.Bhatia and Reena. I never met Sameer or Reena but when I came to know about Sameer, Vinay and Anands Leukemia’s , I ran two bone marrow drives in Indianapolis for them hoping they will find donars. I lost my dad two years back to AML leukemia and I know how hard it has been for Sameer and how painful chemos are and also understand how painful it has been for your family and Reena having seen myself and my family go through the same when my dad was going through painful chemos for leukemia. I used to check this blog everyday. Sameer fought the battle courageously , lived his life well, left a lot of love, good will and contributed so much good to the society and you are all such a loving family standing by him. God bless you all and may Sameers soul rest in peace. take care all of you.
Dimple Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I have been following this thread for a quite long time now and I am so sorry for your loss. Sameer is in a better place now. My deepest condolences to Reena and his family.
Ashika Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I have been praying and hoping sameer would get better very soon and constantly think about him and can’t believe that this has happen. The only thing I could think is that he is finally not suffering so this could be something good but I still can’t come to completely accept it. I want to send my heart felt condolences to the Bhatia family and especially Reena. Your family is a true inspiration to me and I can’t express what a difference you have made in my life and many years to come.
esha's mom Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 9:42 am
My deepest and heartfelt condolences to Sameer’s family and friends. Its very heartbreaking to hear of his demise. May the family find comfort and courage in each other, at this very difficult time. Sameer fought very stoically and may his soul rest in peace.

esha’ mom
Premal Shah Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Sameer and I knew each other at college and he led an amazing life, humble, in service to others and always with humor. An amazing man is now in a better place. He and everyone affected are in my thoughts.

Premal
Vijay Chattha Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Life is short. Sameer’s passing reminds us all of this fact.

But if anyone really knew this, it was Sameer. He lived every day to the fullest.

I met Sameer 10 years ago pitching his new startup Monkeybin and Silicon India. We were some of the youngest people at the events and instantly developed a friendship.

Five years later we reconnected and worked together building the awareness for Octane Technologies. In those few years we had a blast, and saved money by sharing rooms (like desi’s do) at the various tradeshows in Barcelona and New Orleans, constantly networking but also having fun.

Even through illness, Sameer inspired a whole generation of Indian-Americans with his optimism and upbeat attitude. The nationwide effort to find a donor match was an unprecedented effort in the history of South Asian Americans and will help many others down the road.

Sameer accomplished more in his thirties than most people have accomplished in their lifetime. I am proud to have have been his friend and business colleague.

From my entire family and SF community that knew Sameer, we send our condolences to the Bhatia family and especially Reena.

Sameer’s spirit will live on remind us all that life is short, so make the most out of it…like he did.

Vijay, Archie, and Amrik
Supna and Bimal Patel Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
We are so very sorry to hear about this tragedy. We’ve known Sameer for some time now through Dayal and Meeta and have been following his case closely. All of us really admired Sameer (and Reena and the family) for their AMAZING courage and fighting spirit - I’m sure that’s going to be an inspiration to many when facing difficult times. It’s too bad we can understand God’s reasons for doing such things but I have faith that Sameer’s in a good place and at peace. I hope Reena and the family is also able to find peace in time.
Pooja Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Like many of the people who have commented on this site, I too am one of the thousands of people who Sameer touched without ever personally meeting. While reading this blog the past 8 months or so, Sameer’s story definitely made a place in my heart. I was extremely disheartened to hear of his passing, but I take solace in the fact that he is in a better place now with God.

I pray that his family and all of his loved ones find strength during this tough time. Sameer’s story has taught me valuable lessons about strength and courage, and for that I will forever be indebted to him.
shruthi Says:
March 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am
My heartfelt condolences to Reena, Sameer’s parents, family and friends. I’ve never met Sameer or his family, but visiting this website often and reading Sameer’s postings and his words of optimism and spirit to fight even at this point in life I was amazed. His view of life has touched me so much, that for the first time in my life I cried for the loss of someone that I have never personally met or had any contact with. Among typical people who get disappointed with life for small things, people like Sameer are unique and special. I can’t explain in words how sad I feel after hearing of Sameer’s passing. Reena, you have been so strong and courageous in standing by Sameer through this hard time; and I hope time will help you and the rest of the family find peace. May Sameer’s soul rest in peace.
Kannan Partha Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 7:40 am
It has been a tough loss for me. Even though, I have never met sameer personally, he was always in my thoughts as a great fighter who battled the monster disease valiantly. His courage and the initiative to wake up the south asian community in the cause of bone marrow donosrship is invaluable. I sincerely believe the best our community could do sameer is to involve others in marrow donorship drive, so that other lives could be saved.
I pray to god that sameer’s soul should rest in peace.
My sincere condolences to sameer’s family and friends. He will live in my memory for a long time to come.
Kailash Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 10:29 am
May Sameer’s soul rest in peace. May GOD give you the strength in this hard time.
Elora Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 11:07 am
Dear Bhatia family-
Please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss. Our family has been praying for Sameer and your family ever since we heard of his illness. Sameer was such a great person. Even though our family has known Sameer for many years, we still learned many more new things about him during the funeral service. Just seeing how much he has touched so many people has greatly increased our love and respect for Sameer even more. We can do nothing more but to add more praises that were given about Sameer at the funeral service and on this website. Everyone can learn to be a lot more like Sameer in his caring spirit and his passion for life. Because of his passion for helping others and in honor of Sameer, I (Elora) have started donating blood (on top of signing up for the national bone marrow donor list) to help others too. He will always be in our thoughts. God bless Sameer and may his soul rest in peace!!

Swapan, Rita and Elora
ruhpreet Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 11:54 am
I pray that Sameer’s soul rests in peace. I am honestly heart broken about the loss of Sameer. I have never met him or any of his family, but his words of optimism have strongly reflected a change in my way of thinking. I really can’t believe that he is gone especially since I can still read so many of his last postings. I wish the Bhatia family the best, and if you ever need any help with anything, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be honored to help any of you. I thank God that I had the opportunity of learning about Sameer and his family through his blogs. He really was a great person.
RK Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
My heartfelt condolences to Bhatia family. I was so saddened by this news. Sameer was obviously a great soul! He touched so many lives through this difficult ordeal. May God keep Sameer in peace for eternity.
Girish Chinnaswamy Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Dear Bhatia family
My deepest condolences and sympathies to you all.
Though I do not know sameer I just happened to read about him on the internet last year and since then kept a close watch on his progress. Being a doctor in the same field myself I can say that his fight and spirit has been truely exceptional. He really is an inspiration to many across the globe. My thoughts are with you all and pray that sameer’s soul rests in peace. He will always be remembered and though iIam not in USA I just felt that I had lost someone close

Girish and Roopa
manish jain Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 8:59 am
Dear Bhatia family,

My deepest condolences and sympathies to you all. I met Sameer back in Jan 2007 in Bombay and had dinner with a bunch of people. Although I only met him for a couple hours, he was energetic and just had tons of energy.
sangita Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 12:22 pm
My deepest heartfelt condolences to Sammer’s family and loved ones. I was so saddened by this news. Though i don’t know Sammer, he was a inspiration to many of us. May God bless him and may his soul rest in peace.
Ranjini Malhotra Says:
April 11th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Dear Bhatia Family,
I came to hear of Sameer’s story only today through a friend of mine. My heartfelt condolences go out to you and may God give you the strength and comfort to carry on, and to hold onto the many beautiful memories you have of him. He was obviously a great soul - and it’s clear he made a difference in so many lives. God Bless all of you.
Ranjini Malhotra