In 1990, two young women in Boston found a connection that would leave a lasting impression shaped by friendship, shared dreams, and ultimately, profound loss. Sue Kim, who had recently moved from Los Angeles to Boston and planned to enter graduate school, became neighbors with Marina Karides in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Both were navigating their identities as first-generation Americans and grappling with the complexities of multicultural life as young adults in a diverse urban environment.

Their friendship was marked by moments of humor, cultural exchange, and a shared sense of adventure. On a hot summer day, Sue introduced Marina to a tradition taught by her grandmother—brewing hot tea to cool down—a small ritual that underscored the blending of family heritage and their present lives. The two were part of a wider social circle that embodied the vibrancy of Gen X culture in Boston, connected by art, activism, and poetry.

A memorable occasion came on Karides’ 23rd birthday, when a mishap with birthday candles—an artisanal, three-layer cake created by Sue—resulted in Karides’ hair catching fire. Despite the scare, the celebration continued with a night out that included dim sum in Chinatown and an impromptu visit to a local bar. During the evening, Sue provocatively remarked that they all would know when she was going to die, a comment that stood out amid the youthful assumption of invincibility.

Shortly after Karides’ graduation from Northeastern University in June 1991, the two embarked on a cross-country road trip from Boston to Los Angeles. Traveling in a car they had temporarily acquired through a drive-away company, they took the opportunity to stop at Mount Rushmore, reflecting critically on the conspicuous absence of women and minorities among the iconic figures depicted there. The journey ended in LA, where on the morning after their arrival, they experienced the Sierra Madre earthquake. Karides recalled Sue’s mischievous reaction, greeting the tremor with a smirk before going back to sleep—a moment emblematic of Sue’s spirited nature.

Both women pursued doctoral studies by the mid-1990s—Sue at Boston University and Karides at the University of Georgia. However, their paths diverged tragically in 2001. That September, Sue, her husband Pete, and their two-year-old daughter Christine were passengers on one of the hijacked flights that struck the Twin Towers in the September 11 attacks. The flight had originated in Boston, en route to Los Angeles, where Sue had planned to visit her grandmother—the same grandmother who had inspired the tea tradition years earlier.

Reflecting on their friendship and shared history, Karides notes how recurring themes such as earthquakes, road trips, and Los Angeles continue to echo in her life, serving as poignant reminders of Sue’s presence and the enduring impact of their time together.