Rukesh Samarasekera, 33, the Storyteller and Changemaker of the U.S. Green Building Council and a graduate of Brown University, passed away on November 19, 2019. He was born on April 24, 1986 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Rukesh’s passion in life was serving others. At the US Green Building Council, he created original media content showcasing individuals touched by the green building and sustainability movement. This unique and impactful work was a testament to his deep love of humanity and the environment. Even with the substantial demands of his academic, professional, and later, personal life, he had an insatiable desire to give back, participating in, and in many cases, starting, numerous organizations. He hosted inspirational events for Catalyst Week and the Inspire! Speaker Series in Downtown Las Vegas. He established Sarong Shorts, a company that worked with single mothers in Sri Lanka to produce upcycled sarongs. He also started the Comeback Collective, an educational and inspirational multimedia project celebrating tenacity in the face of hardship. He was the son of Upali and Tilani Samarasekera, brother of Shawn and late Shanith, grandson of Jane, nephew of Osca and Nimali Herath, and cousin of Nicole Herath.
All are welcome to attend a visitation, held on Saturday, November 23 from 4:00 – 8:00 at Westminster Memorial Park Mortuary, 14801 Beach Blvd, Westminster CA. A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 25 at 10:00 am at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 North Canal Street, Orange CA. (Reception to follow)
Contributions in Rukesh's memory may be made to UCLA Neurosurgery , neurosurgery.ucla.edu/finding-cures; and The American Brain Tumor Association , abta.org.
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