Theodros "Teddy" Belayneh
Doing what he does best: smiling, and making others smile.
The inspiration behind the vision. Theodros (Teddy) Mekonnen Belayneh was many things to many people: A son, grandson, the oldest brother, a cousin, a nephew and an uncle, and a friend to so many. Beyond the many titles of his relationships, he always played one role - the "uplifter". Ever since he became the oldest brother at age 3, he assumed this role with incredible love and good humor.
Teddy playing with his younger siblings Hana (left 3 years younger) and Mathieos (right 7 years younger)
As he entered into school, he was a natural talent. Scholastically he excelled: consistently on the honour roll and performing very well in IB classes in high school, there was no limit to his academic potential. He eventually enrolled with the University of Alberta and pursued a Bachelors of Science, before ultimately realizing his passion in entrepreneurship.
He truly believed in the importance of school, and as he mentored others, he always hotly encouraged education
Beyond the books, he spent years honing his athleticism. He was constantly in the top 3 in long distance running, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and taekwondo. He often represented the province of Manitoba for basketball, and earned a second degree black belt in Taekwondo - earning him over thirty bronze, silver, and gold medals, and 16 trophies.
From practicing his soccer kick at the age of 4 (left) to his many athletic achievements (right), Teddy's dedication was truly inspiring
In his adult life, his passion, initiative, and social dynamism led to a successful career as an entrepreneur. He was active in importing and distributing sport goods, and brand name clothing through his company “Daperdown". Furthermore, he co-operated an entertainment corporation known as “Wolaita Entertainment” for nearly ten years. He also owned and ran a green cleaning company called Green Mops for 3 years - with up to 24 workers in Edmonton. In his last days, he operated a successful club known as “Citizen” with two partners. Lastly, through his industrious zeal, he held and sold multiple real estate investments across Canada.
Above the success he created for himself, he focused so much more on what he could do for others. He was very caring & loving for all people around him. He actively volunteered, especially in the Ethiopian community through heritage days and by donating many large suitcases to Ethiopia, the youth across Canada, and to the homeless. These suitcases were filled with clothing, school supplies, phones, other technology, etc. Essentially, if he met you, the first things he considered was how he could help you.
Giving on an individual scale or community scale was so clearly Teddy's greatest joy
Beyond all these accomplishments, to us, his family and closest friends, Teddy is first and foremost remembered for his incredible love and support. Whenever his family or friends had any issue of any sort, his contagious and loving personality, and zest for life, could make any trouble feel light and even funny.
The energy you see in this room is a direct result of the love of that young man in the middle
Although he was known for his generosity, his loving and caring heart was not satisfied doing it alone. Upon his sudden passing on November 26/16, we found his vision drafted on paper. He was creating a charitable organization to help Ethiopians, Eritreans, and all those who needed it most.
These are a few of documents of his vision. We digitally highlighted key phrases to help create TOF's vision in the context of Teddy's pattern of giving
His best friends and family members took his passion, promising to fulfill his dream. We formed an outreach memorial foundation known as TOF. An organization that carries his vision and his name.
