To Lay Kelvin Oliver Siem to Rest

Dear friends, family, and compassionate strangers,

I write to you today with a heavy heart and a respectful plea for your support. It is with great sadness to announce the loss of Kelvin Oliver Siem.

On behalf of my former soccer player, Kelvin, who was a little brother to me, I am reaching out with difficult news to share. His family is left without a son due to a senseless act of gun violence that occurred on the afternoon of June 5, 2023. Given the aggressive severity of his wounds, he died at Johns Hopkins-Bayview Medical Center in Maryland.

For those of you who knew Kelvin, he was the most caring and giving individual you would ever meet.

The past week has been intensely difficult for the entire family as they process this sudden and devastating news. Kelvin was a beautiful light in our lives. He was one of the strongest, most loving, most caring people I knew. The family has a tremendously difficult journey ahead of them, and it will take a village to support his mother, his siblings and other family members who reside in Liberia (West Africa).

Kelvin was very talented when it came to sports. He was an amazing soccer player and a great wrestler. Kelvin was a part of the Absegami High School family, where he was loved by his soccer teammates and wrestling teammates, coaches, classmates and staff. Kelvin graduated in 2016 from Absegami High School. He continued his education at the Atlantic Cape Community College and played soccer for Rutgers-Camden and Manor College. We lost one of our own unexpectedly at the hands of gun violence.

Kelvin is remembered by his heartbroken adoptive father Dr. Jallah Kennedy, mother Harriet Ballay Kennedy, sister Jacqueline Kennedy, Wilhemina Kennedy and biological parents, siblings, extended family, and friends. Most importantly, his biological mother, who is in Liberia. Kelvin leaves behind four beautiful siblings in Liberia with his mother Olivette B. Carr Cassell, Elijah Boyd, Christine Boyd, Louise Boyd, and Chris J. Boyd, who were his whole world. He also leaves behind his father Alex Siem.

As you can imagine, the weight of this news is almost unbearable; in the face of adversity, his family has shown incredible strength and resilience. In the blink of an eye, a family lost their son and a mother lost her pivotal financial supporter for the family in Liberia. Their dream of coming to America has died, and they are left with little support to help them prepare for continuing education as well as the day-to-day costs of living in an impoverished country.

I hope that we can come together to help Kelvin’s mother and siblings in Liberia with the funeral cost and any other unforeseen expenses as they navigate this emotional and difficult time. Jacqueline Kennedy was very close to Kelvin, she's the oldest sister in the family and Kelvin look up to her as a mother, she and I are working together. Jacqueline is the middle person between the family in America and the family in Liberia. Jacqueline is the one who's responsible for the funeral procedure and she will be the one who distributes the funds to the right places. If you are able, any donation (big or small) is so appreciated. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your love, kindness, prayers, and support.

Kelvin Oliver Siem

7/13/1998 to 6/5/2023

Thank you!

Coach Big