Community News

Med Student Family to hold Monday memorial

Story and photo by Suzanne Nielsen and reprinted with permission of the Daily Herald.

November 6, 2007

"I can not imagine a more beautiful resting place for my brother Paul," said John-Peter Valiulis after a trip to Diamond Rock Sunday afternoon.

The Marine Park boat took the Valiulis family--Dr. John and Mary-Ann Valiulis, brother John-Peter, fiancée Meghanne Rebur and her mother Betsy Rebur - out to Diamond Rock, where the family saw the last place their son Paul (43) was seen on Tuesday afternoon.

Paul, a first semester student, was known for riding his red mountain bike all over the island as he trained for the December Saba Day Triathlon. He was a strong athlete, climber, and diver and had left a job as a certified mountain guide in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies to come to Saba University School of Medicine. Fiancée Meghanne is studying to be a midwife and planned to take a year off in 2008 to join Paul on Saba.

Meghanne described Paul as a very caring individual, interested in holistic therapies, and obsessed with biology, with a fascination about the workings of the human body. He had been a champion swimmer when growing up in Louisiana. She said he was happiest when taking youngsters climbing. Paul leaves behind his 13-year old daughter Tekarra, who lives in Vancouver. The family had planned to bring Tekarra to Saba next March on a family vacation to see Paul, and said they are still considering returning to Saba.

On Saturday the family met with all parties involved in the search operations, university officials, and US Vice Consul Bill Furnish. They were given a report on all activities to locate Paul. Dr. Valiulis, speaking on behalf of the family, said that the wonderful work was deeply appreciated by the family. Many Sabans have approached the family with words of concern and he said that it had helped a lot. The family has attended several services at the Catholic Church in Windwardside and was impressed with the warmth of the community.

A family memorial will be held at the University today, Monday, at 6pm. All are invited to attend.

Photo: Missing student Paul Valiulis snapped this recent picture of himself atop Diamond Rock.

Click here for a larger version of the photo.


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Story and photograph © Suzanne Nielsen, 2007.