Elijah Zayed Pasha

Elijah Pasha entered the world with intensity and courage on October 23, 2007—born twelve weeks early and weighing just 1 pound, 13 ounces. After spending eight weeks in the NICU, he came home weighing slightly over four pounds, a tiny fighter from the very start. Sleep was never his priority; even as a toddler, Elijah was ready for the day by 5:00 AM, eager to embrace whatever adventures awaited. By age two, he had a TV in his room— allowing his parents to get a bit more sleep while he watched his favorite shows.

Elijah had a zest for life and a deep passion for whatever caught his interest. We affectionately referred to his ever-evolving obsessions as "phases," and each was pursued with full commitment!

One of the longest was his Lego phase, where he spent countless hours building intricate sets and crafting original creations from his imagination. Then came his KISS phase, listening to their music constantly and learning to play songs on his guitar. His first concert was a KISS show where he and his buddy painted their faces and Elijah proudly wore a leather jacket.

Elijah’s skateboarding phase had him collecting boards, wheels, and accessories, and his Tech Decks were a favorite pastime. There was a unique taxidermy phase where he collected animal skulls and could tell you about them. The boxing phase followed—he trained for over a year with dreams of going pro.

In middle school, when given the choice between choir and band, Elijah chose band and, true to form, picked the tuba. “Go big or go home,” was his style.

He was able to express his creativity in his costume-making phase, crafting movie character outfits from cardboard, cloth, and anything he could find. Captain America helmets, Deadpool masks, katanas—you name it. The Walking Dead became his final costume obsession, leading to a trip to Atlanta to tour the set and meet cast members.

His love for disc golf started when he joined the middle school disc golf team and led to a backyard basket, and a ton of discs. Other phases included archery, wood chopping, and axe throwing—he even made YouTube tutorials to share his skills.

In high school, Elijah started to build his true identity. He fell in love with fishing, often waking early and staying out until dark with friends. He saved up for a kayak, equipped his car with a roof rack, and proudly displayed it even when not in use. One of his proudest moments was catching a rare hybrid bass, which he had mounted, mixing his love of taxidermy and fishing.

Elijah discovered a passion for welding through school, excitedly sharing techniques and tips with anyone who’d listen. He also thrived in automotive class, applying his welding skills while learning everything about cars and trucks. He was saving to buy a truck of his own, and could rattle off the specs, pros, and cons of nearly every make and model.

In his final weeks, Elijah was all in on landscaping. He and a friend started a business complete with cards and vests, dreaming of expanding into snow removal with a four-wheeler and plow. His entrepreneurial spirit was paired with a desire to earn money for car upgrades—because Elijah’s car wasn’t just transportation, it was a passion.

He drove a black 2007 Toyota 4Runner and was constantly enhancing it—from a straight pipe to a bull bar. He photographed it constantly: nighttime shots, muddy terrain, parked alongside friends’ vehicles—each picture a reflection of his pride.

Elijah was filled with humor and charm. He loved adopting silly voices, pretending to be a gangster, and making people laugh. He’d send hilarious Instagram videos and goof around in a way that lit up the room. His humor was contagious, his creativity boundless, and his love for life unmistakable.

To his mother, Elijah was the best son imaginable. He adored his friends, cherished his family, and embraced every moment on earth with boldness and heart. His memory will forever be a blessing to all who knew and loved him.

Visitation will be 2:00 - 7:00 PM on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Arch L. Heady at Resthaven, 4400 Bardstown Rd, with a Celebration of Life service to follow at 7:00 PM in the chapel at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers we are asking that donations be made to the Arvin Center Automotive Program (1650 Colonel Drive) or SOHS Welding Program (5901 Veterans Memorial Pkwy). Please indicate on your check which program that you wish for your donation to go towards.