Obituaries
RivCo's Adam Nemat Died At Just 17; His Accomplishments Are Astounding
The Santiago High School senior died Friday in a freak accident. What he did in his short life goes well beyond the average.
![Adam Nemat in an undated image.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/98363/20240325/042714/styles/patch_image/public/79092721-171130974553786-r___25161147734.jpg)
CORONA, CA — A Corona teen who was killed last week after the golf cart he was riding in flipped over is being remembered as a young person who took action on big societal issues that extended well beyond his community.
Adam Nemat, 17, was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. Friday in a dirt field just east of the 7800 block of Bedford Motor Way in Corona, according to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Bureau.
According to a family member's social media post, the teen was in a golf cart with friends in their neighborhood. Adam was in the front passenger seat when the cart flipped and landed on him.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"He passed away instantly. Our baby boy didn’t suffer," the gut-wrenching post reads.
No one else was physically injured.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
On the day he died, Adam was just three months shy — to the day — of his 18th birthday. He was planning to skydive in celebration of adulthood. Just days before his death, Adam's father took him to get a tux fitted for his Santiago High School senior prom. He was set to graduate May 29 — with honors. Adam would have worn a cord for Unity, a cord for being chief lab assistant for AP chem, and for being a teaching assistant for AP physics, the family post reads.
Adam had just received acceptance to UC San Diego with a major in physics. He was still waiting to hear from UC Berkeley and Ivy League universities, the family said.
"He was kind, wild, always smiling, and beyond adventurous. He was a thrill seeker. He went bungee jumping and he taught himself how to snowboard, skateboard, and play the guitar," his family said.
Adam also looked beyond himself. In his short time, he did more to tackle world issues than some do in a lifetime, a GoFundMe page reveals.
"On top of being a cherished son, a great brother, a dependable friend, and a stellar academic, he was a socioeconomic warrior. He wanted to better the lives of those that weren’t afforded a chance," according to the page.
"Thanks in part to the amazing example set by his parents, Mona and Ali, Adam was a servant to improving not just the community he lived in, but the world. He was part of Unity at Santiago High School, which is a group of students that help reduce discrimination and spread acceptance and respect throughout the school," the page reads.
"On top of all the work he did in Unity, Adam was also involved in the Thirst Project to help with the global water crisis, has been donating blood and power red to the American Red Cross since he turned 16, and he helped with food drives with his family during Covid," the page continued.
Last summer, Adam visited South Africa.
"He was moved by the beauty of the land but also the extreme poverty of its residents," the page reads. "He returned home and broke down with sheer amount of devastation he saw and was trying to come up with ways to help. He and his family were thinking of doing a Habit for Humanity trip in South Africa."
Money raised via the GoFundMe page will go directly to UNICEF in Adam's name, "to continue the impact he was making in the world," the fundraiser reads. As of 12:30 p.m. Monday, more than $18,000 had been raised. Click here to make a donation.
"The only way to honor Adam is to try to continue the work that he would have undoubtedly done. ... Let’s continue giving back to the world," the page continued. "If you aren’t able to make a monetary donation, do a good deed. Let’s honor Adam by making the world a better place, no matter how big or small."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.