By Acia Gankin
The death of Nelson Mandela, former South African president and an anti-apartheid leader, shocked many South students and caused them to reflect.
The anti-apartheid icon, the first black president of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, passed away at the age of 95 on Friday. With his death came the mourning of millions.
According to BBC News, groups of South Africans gathered outside of his home in Johannesburg, chanting and singing in his honor, aiming to celebrate his life.
The Guardian stated that Mandela’s death will “send South Africa deep into mourning and self-reflection,” as he had played a vital role in leading the country to become an inclusive democracy.
According to CNN, Mandela faced numerous health problems, including a recurring lung infection.
Mandela made his debut to world renown with his anti-apartheid efforts, when he was sentenced to prison for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. Mandela spent 27 years in prison before being freed.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, several world leaders, including President Obama, attended Nelson Mandela’s memorial in the stadium at Soweto, where Mandela made his last public appearance at the 2010 World Cup.
Many students were not aware of who Mandela was, though those who knew of him however were shocked to hear about his death.
“I knew that he was sick, but I had no idea how fatal it [his sickness] truly was,” sophomore Ellen Kanellias said. “[I knew] how important he was, how popular among the people he was and how amazing his story was.”
Some students believe that now is the time to think over Mandela’s life, due to the immense he had in South Africa and the world.
“There are not that many people like him left anymore,” freshman Cassandra Luca said, “although what he did was before our time, we should still reflect.”
“It was really sad and surprising because he was such a well known man and he made such a significant impact on so many people,” junior Alexa Balmuth said.
Some students even described Mandela as their role model.
“I was shocked to find out about Mandela’s death because he was my role model for breaking through challenges and finding strength within,” junior Jade Tang said.
