Sai Joseph Babbie

He grew up in extreme poverty—as he told it, he stole milk from the corner store so his family wouldn’t go hungry. Many thanks to the shopkeeper, who never pursued him wholeheartedly. When his birth father died, his mother placed him in an orphanage at age five, where he was set to work caring for the babies, including his future sister, Lily. When his American family adopted Lily, Sai appeared in a video of the orphanage, and his brother Eric asked if he was up for adoption too. In just one of many small events that shaped Sai’s life, further inquiries were made, and he arrived stateside shortly after Lily.

The culture shock was enormous, but with the help of his loving parents, his sisters (older and younger) and his two big brothers, Sai found a warm home. He also found many opportunities to surprise and delight us with his curiosity, his bottomless reserve of energy, and his sometimes-destructive ingenuity. He grew into a very cool kid, skating, surfing, playing guitar, and playing hockey with his brother Eric. He worked with kids at a summer camp, where he met his wife-to-be, Kaylee.

After high school, Sai joined the army, where he served for seven years. His service was his chance to give back to the home he loved. He rose to the rank of sergeant before the accumulating rigors of service and his desire to spend more time with his family led him to switch to a civilian career. As a civilian, he continued his uncanny ability to learn complex skills without formal training.

Then in 2021, he and Kaylee had their beloved daughter, Raelie. Those who knew Sai will remember his constant affirmations of fatherly love. His world now revolved around his daughter, who he loved intensely.

Sai lived intensely, of course, in all things. He was capable of emotional extremes, but his broad smile and wholehearted laughter was always present, even in hard times.

He is survived by his wife Kaylee, his daughter Raelie, his mother Mary, father Ray, stepfather Stuart, brothers Eric and Tyler, sisters Cat and Lily, and possibly by his mother and siblings in India. Many other relations could be listed here, as could so many friends, some of whom were as close as brothers and sisters. Together, we learned that family and brotherhood isn’t a matter of blood but of a deeper kinship. Sai offered that kinship to so many (parents, siblings, cousins, friends, soldiers, teammates, and coworkers) that he has made a comprehensive list of survivors impossible to compile.

We will hold a memorial service at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Monday, February 24th, at 11:00.