Poly Academy of Achievers and Learners (PAAL) senior Chad Hang passed away on Friday, April 1 and all of Poly has joined together in memory of his passing and in support of his family.
Hang was shot while walking home from a friend’s house around midnight at the 1300 block of E. 11th Street, which was less than a mile from his home. He suffered gunshot wounds to the upper torso. Hang was moved to a local hospital and pronounced dead on Friday, April 1.
The viewing will be on Friday, April 22, from four in the afternoon to eight in the evening at the Stricklin Snively Mortuary. The memorial service will be held on the following day, Saturday, April 23, from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon.
Hang, a dedicated JROTC member, was the sixth of seven children in his family and loved skateboarding and running. His friends miss him dearly and speak fondly in his memory of his vibrant personality.
Hang’s closest friend, senior Marlon Muk, remembers him, saying, “He was such an amazing kid. Had a really big gift of making people laugh and smile. He was encouraging, smart – in his own particular way – and incredibly funny. He had the biggest mouth I had ever met. There really is no mute button on that kid. He’ll just get louder and louder. He’s the most positive person out there, making people laugh until it hurts [and] smile until you can’t feel your cheeks, and showed love to others no matter who it was–friends or family.”
Chad’s fellow senior Angel Munoz thinks of the wonderful times they had together. “Chad was a very cool person to get to know–making friends and family smile, made me smile and that’s a first. He was a brother to me and Leslie,” Munoz recalls. “[We] were very close to him; we were like the three musketeers till the end. Leslie was like our sister, Chad was reckless, [and] I was the serious one.”
Senior Sebastian Perez struggled with words to describe the incredible person Chad was. “I don’t even know where to start with Chad; just words can’t explain who he is, but I’ll try my best.” Lovingly, Perez continued, “Chad was a very loud, outgoing, and funny guy. Everyone knew and loved Chad for that. When it came down to it, Chad always had everyone’s back. Didn’t matter what you did or how you got in the mess, he just helped you. That’s the kind [of] guy he was. My friends and I were deeply affected by Chad and these qualities that he shared and we continue to live through him and his words of advice.”
Senior Joshua Young said of his dear companion, “Chad was a friend of mine from middle school. We got connected through mutual friends. We started really talking in high school when we had classes together. Our friendship peaked in Ms. Sanchez’s class when we’d always mess with her. Whether it’d be being out of our seats, watching videos on her computer, or finding ways to annoy her. He kind of brought out the silly side in me. As long as I’ve known him I’ve never seen him unhappy. Not sad or angry or anything, he was always happy and made everyone else happy around him… If you knew him, instantly [there was] a strong connection. In all honesty and belief he didn’t deserve what happened to him. He deserved a long and happy life and all the good things that’d come with it.”
Friends like Senior Elizabeth Escatel will deeply miss his support.
“Chad was like a brother to me. He always made sure there was a smile in my face. I often struggle with depression but if Chad ever saw me sad, he would hug me super tight and then make me laugh till my stomach hurt. His hugs could put…broken pieces back together. He was the best person, always happy,” said Escatel.
Chad Hang and all the happiness he brought into this world will be sincerely missed by all; the world will still spin, but not a day will pass without a person remembering the wonderful person Hang was.
Leave a Reply