Ghebreyesus Tewolde Hadgu Obituary
Ghebreyesus Tewolde Hadgu / Ghebreyesus Hadgu Tewolde was born on November 10, 1950, in Mai'Ela, Segaeneiti, Akele Guzai, Eritrea, to his parents, Tewolde Hadgu and Meheret Michael Hailu. After an unexpected illness, he passed away on December 27, 2024.
Mai'Ela, Segaeneiti, Akele Guzai, Eritrea a small country on the Red Sea coast in East Africa that was once the first Italian colony for 60 years. His father Tewolde Hadgu, a well-known Catholic hero, gave his life defending their ancestral land Mai'Ela against nomadic invaders when Ghebreyesus was just one year old. Ghebreyesus Hadgu born raised among Italians into a time of hardship and political unrest, he lived a life shaped by courage, faith, and relentless determination.
After his father's passing, his aunt—his father's youngest sister and a nun sister Fekadu who had been living in Rome—returned to Eritrea. With his mother's permission, she brought Ghebreyesus to be raised in the Orsoline Catholic Monastery in Asmara, the capital city. There, he was given the name "Giuseppe," the Italian form of Joseph, and remained in the care of the nuns until the age of seven.
Ghebreyesus was a man devout Catholic, a man of history and learning, with a lifelong love of reading. He could speak of the past like he had lived it all. He carried his own storm he compares himself as fierce as a lion and not to be messed with. He was loud, passionate, and proud. Proud of his father. Proud of his heritage. And even when life pulled him in other directions, that pride never left him.
Ghebreyesus was no ordinary man, he was different. He pursued his education with dedication and perseverance. Ghebreyesus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in History, in Eritrea University of Asmara awarded under the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie the King of Ethiopia. From a young age, he demonstrated exceptional brilliance. He became a high school educator at just 23 years old, earning deep respect for his intellect, discipline, and leadership. His sharp mind and natural command of language later led him to work internationally as a telex operator and multilingual translator, mastering Arabic and several other languages.
His life journey carried him across nations—Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Sudan, Greece, and ultimately the United States, where he arrived in 1984. In 2014, he continued his education in the United States at Remington College Dallas Texas, where he completed a diploma in Medical Field. Ghebreyesus was fluent in eight languages, a testament to his love of learning, strength of character, and cultural depth. In addition, he dedicated many years of service to the United States Postal Service in Dallas Texas, beginning in 1999, where he was respected for his diligence, reliability, and commitment to his work.
In 1988, Ghebreyesus married, hopeful to build a beautiful life and a family that would carry forward his legacy and honor his father’s memory. He was blessed with one child, Tewolde Ghebreyesus Jr, whom he lovingly named after his father Tewolde Hadgu, carrying forward a legacy rooted in courage, faith, and family history. Ghebreyesus was a deeply involved and proud father, finding great joy in watching his son grow and play. He cherished many small moments from his son’s early years—simple memories that brought him laughter and pride and continue to live quietly in the heart. Even when life’s circumstances eventually separated him from his son, his love, guidance, and pride remained unwavering. Through his son, Ghebreyesus hoped to continue his family’s legacy of courage, faith, and resilience.
His lifelong dream was to return to Mai'Ela, Eritrea and continue to support his family—to apply the knowledge he had gained through years of hardship and exile, and to preserve the memory and legacy of his father, Tewolde Hadgu.
He carried a deep devotion to his ancestry and often spoke of the importance of remembering one's origins. He believed that honoring bloodline, roots, and heritage was a sacred duty, and he held a profound longing to return to Mai'Ela to pay tribute to the land and lineage that shaped him. Sadly, due to the political climate, he was never able to return.
Ghebreyesus was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Zeru and Tesfamikael, who passed away only a few months later. He is survived, his legacy lives on in his son Tewolde and in the hearts of those who knew him.
His life was marked by resilience, deep faith, and a tireless pursuit of knowledge. He will be remembered as a man of integrity, honesty, pride, intellect, and unwavering determination.
Acknowledgments:
The family of Ghebreyesus Tewolde Hadgu wishes to express our heartfelt gratitude for the prayers, comfort, and support extended to us during this time of loss. We are especially thankful to the church, the clergy, and every friend and family member who joined us to celebrate his life and legacy. We are also deeply grateful to the family and friends who helped us learn more about Ghebreyesus Hadgu, sharing stories and memories that enriched our understanding of the remarkable man he was. Your presence and kindness have brought us strength and peace.
John 14:1-3 (NIV):
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms... I am going there to prepare a place for you."
Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV):
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."
A Message to His Son:
Though life brought challenges and distance, Ghebreyesus had a deep and abiding love for his son JR Tewolde, his son was never far from his thoughts. His words reflected not only a father's longing but a father's enduring love.
"You were the joy in my albums, the light in my memories. You are a fighter and you were not a mistake. You are not born of weakness. You are born of a lineage soaked in courage, in sacrifice, in truth. I only regret that life didn’t let me be more present". He begged not to forget where you came from and to return to Mai'Ela and to honor God, honor country Eritrea, honor your grandfather Tewolde Hadgu, and honor your blood, and honor your roots.
A Brief History of His Father Tewolde Hadgu:
This is a brief history of Tewolde Hadgu, the father whose name and legacy Ghebreyesus has worked tirelessly to preserve.
Tewolde Hadgu—a warrior hero remembered by both Christians and Muslims for his courage and bravery at Aghemeda.
Tewolde Hadgu was not an ordinary man. He was born of Mai'Ela, a land whose very name echoes strength, resistance, and ancestral pride. From the Zena Degle clan, he emerged from a lineage known for producing defenders of land, guardians of dignity, and men who stood unshaken in the face of adversity. He carried this heritage not as a story of the past, but as a living responsibility. He was a hero, a revolutionary, a lion-hearted warrior from the Zena Degle clan in the region of Tora, Saho, Bedouin.
He was a warrior in spirit and in action—brave, resolute, and unwavering. Alongside ten fellow clansmen, he marched across vast lands, from Welkait to Gondar, defending honor, people, and ancestral territory. These were not journeys of conquest, but of duty—undertaken at great personal cost and sealed with sacrifice. Together, they stood as one, and together, many laid down their lives so that their land and name would endure.
Tewolde Hadgu’s bravery did not end on the battlefield. He was known among his people as fearless yet principled, a man whose reputation inspired respect and whose name was carried in songs of heroism and remembrance. His courage was spoken of long after the battles ended, woven into stories passed from generation to generation.
Though he now rests far from his birthplace, buried alongside fellow heroes in Aghemeda, his spirit forever belongs to Mai'Ela Mai'Ela Mai'Ela. Tewolde Hadgu fought and died alongside ten other warriors in a place called Aghemeda—a green fertile forest, a battlefield, a sacred ground 100 miles away from his birthplace, Mai'Ela. His courage is remembered among the Islamic and Christian communities alike. Distance has not diminished his presence; rather, it has magnified his legend. His courage remains rooted in the land that formed him, and his honor remains alive in those who carry his name and story forward.
Tewolde Hadgu’s life stands as a testament to sacrifice rooted in principle rather than conquest. He did not fight for recognition, wealth, or praise, but out of duty to land, people, and honor. Though history did not preserve his story in books, it survived in memory, carried by those who understood the weight of what was lost. Through Ghebreyesus, Tesfamikael, and Zeru his name is spoken again—not as a relic of the past, but as a living reminder that courage, once lived, does not disappear. It is inherited.
It is for this reason that Ghebreyesus strives so fiercely to keep his father remembered. His devotion is not driven by pride alone, but by duty—to ensure that a life of sacrifice is not erased, that a father’s name is not forgotten, and that future generations understand where they come from. In honoring his father, Ghebreyesus honors lineage, history, and the truth that a man lives on as long as his name is spoken.
A Funeral Service will be held on May 17, 2025, from 07:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Kidane-Mehret Ge'ez Rite Catholic Eritrean/Ethiopian Church 1357 E Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003. (202.546.1885) . A Burial will be held on May 17, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 01:45 PM at George Washington Cemeteries 9500 Riggs Rd Adelphi, MD 20783.
GHEBREYESUS TEWOLDE HADGU / GHEBREYESUS HADGU TEWOLDE
11/10/1950-12/27/2024
You were a part of my beginning. May God be your peace in the end. I pray your soul finds rest. ነብስኻ ብሰላም ትዕረፍ ።
