Remembering Hamud Faal: Loved ones reflect after death of UWL student

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Hamud Faal’s stepdad, Jarreh Kujabi, describes him as hardworking, dedicated, respectable and humble.

He has been in his life since Faal was 9.

“All he was about was his education,” Kujabi said. “He was about helping people, so that is what we want people to remember of him.

Faal, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student, had been missing since Feb. 20, and divers found his body in the Mississippi River Thursday.

Shortly after his disappearance, people from the community and throughout Wisconsin searched the La Crosse riverside area for him. Faal’s family was there, too.

“People joined the search party that didn’t know him. Right? They didn’t need to be here. But they did,” Kujabi said.

Their hopes were dashed when divers recovered Faal’s body in the Mississippi.

“This was not what we expected — we wanted to see him found alive,” said Rep. Samba Baldeh (D-Madison), a family friend. “But this is what it ended up being. But this by itself, for us, is… you know, will give us closure.”

Faal, who was from the Madison area and came to La Crosse for an education, majored in psychology at UWL. This was his senior year.

“He was an excellent kid — full of life, his future was very bright. But at the end of the day, this is where we are,” Baldeh said.

Kujabi said his family is still dealing with the loss, but they are grateful for the support from the community, police department and UW-La Crosse.

“This became their issue — it wasn’t just my family issue, but it became an issue the whole community picked up and worked at,” Kujabi said.

La Crosse police are continuing their investigation into his death and are awaiting autopsy results. Those results are not expected to be available for at least a month, police said.