Aileen Chen – Aileen’s Unfinished Story
13 Years Ago – June 6, 2024
She was ambitious and hard working ALL THE TIME. I was blessed to have known Aileen Chen as she was in my class for two years. Hearing the news of her death was shocking. The news slowly leaked out that a teen was hit by a car in Bensonhurst; I kept hoping it wasn’t “our Aileen.” She was just 16, at Stuy and she had a bright future ahead of her.
Aileen loved Science. While in 8th grade, Aileen became a Junior Fellow through the New York Academy of Medicine’s Junior Fellows Program. She took on this extra project because she wanted to learn more and was thinking of a career in medicine. Aileen’s chose to research MS and Vitamin D. It’s almost two years that she graduated from our school and we (her teachers) still remember her work.
Aileen was fantastic on the computer. She loved learning new things! Of course I wasn’t surprised when a friend of Aileen’s blogged that Aileen was unbelievably good at computer science.
I stopped by the shrine and saw the bicycle on 21st Avenue and 62nd Street. The area was peaceful and several friends of Aileen from Stuy were there.
Aileen liked to draw and appreciated other people’s art work. She liked manga. Aileen’s art was on the cover of the 2009 school yearbook.
Aileen loved to help other people. I was always glad to have her come in the lab and help me. Her 187 classmates will remember the site that she and Joyce made to share homework assignments. Aileen also made her own site to share test prep tips because she wanted everyone to do well.
Aileen loved music and joined the piano club at Stuy. We discussed music after I asked her about her e-mail address name, Aileen introduced me to the music by Broken Belles. She also shared Isisip’s video, “The Unfinished Story.” It’s as beautiful as Aileen.
And Aileen loved her friends. After her death, her friends put up a Facebook page in her honor and to provide information to other students. Someone said she wouldn’t have wanted that type of page put up. Later that page and Aileen’s own Facebook page were deleted. She spent time on Facebook because she loved sharing pictures and info with friends. She wouldn’t have wanted it to disappear.
There are two types of Internet users – those who blog and those who don’t. Aileen was very public online. She had several blogs published online and she created an account with her name or several known usernames. She blogged because she wanted to share her parts of her life with her friends. *Please don’t link to her blogs in the comments – I will delete them. High school life is tough, especially for a young woman who demanded a lot from herself and a blog is just bits and pieces of a person’s thoughts and not the total person.
I don’t for a minute believe that Aileen rode against the light. I haven’t read one eye witness that said they saw that. Aileen wasn’t reckless. Yes, I realize that she didn’t have a helmet on; years ago no one wore helmets and no one thought that was strange or reckless. I don’t care what is written in the newspapers, they don’t know Aileen – WE DO. (Ironically, the truth came out in the NY Post comments today….see below) It was a tragic accident and I am not going to write any further about it.
RIP redonigiri….you made the world a better place. Many prayers for Aileen’s parents, sister, family and friends.
Aileen’s friends made these beautiful videos. Here
A shrine was made:
The wake info:
FROM STUYVESANT:
Stuyvesant Student Aileen Chen was struck and killed on Saturday.
It is with deep sadness that we must share the news that Aileen Chen, a brilliant Stuyvesant sophomore, was riding her bicycle near her home in Brooklyn this past Saturday evening, when she was struck and killed by a motorist. She was sixteen years old.
Aileen loved physics and playing the violin, and dreamed of becoming a doctor. Her teachers describe her as “charming, buoyant and scholarly,” but such words cannot begin to capture her uniqueness, spark and potential, nor can they convey the loss that her death represents.
Our hearts go out to Aileen’s family, and to the friends, classmates and teachers who cared for her and who will miss seeing her in class and in the halls.
UPDATE:
Aileen’s friends and McAuliffe students painted this in her honor:
I know her sister may stop by again so I thought she would like to see this.
Although Aileen’s life was short, she influenced many people – students and teachers too. Her memory still lives on in the school where she shared her talents.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Brooklyn | 20 Comments »
June 8th, 2011 at 3:01 am
Hi Ms McG I was looking for info about Aileen and I found your post.We should do something at McAuliffe in honor of Aileen and to help her family.I’m sending you e-mail now.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:33 am
RIP Aileen I will miss you.
June 8th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I found out a lot later than most people and I am devestated over the news.I wish Aileen’s parents and family peace during this time.
June 9th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
i hadnt seen the memorial for aileen.the ghost bike is cool.
June 13th, 2011 at 2:49 am
Her funeral thing was sad.I miss her so much.
June 14th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
This is terrible. Absolutely terrible. Her funeral was… well, I think my heart is permanently broken.
June 14th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
I am such a bad friend. I was about to call you and then I checked here to see what you were up to. I am sooooo sorry.I can tell from your writing how upset you are and as a teacher. Calling you now!!
June 15th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
To my students and all those mourning Aileen -> Aileen would not have wanted us to be sad this long…..remember the good times and her good spirit. And when you are feeling sad, do something good for another person in her honor.
Deidre….we have been friends for many years and although life keeps us busy, we are always good friends. xoxo
June 21st, 2011 at 3:06 am
Miss McG I just found out today 6/20.Can you please e-mail me.Remember me? Carmen.
June 24th, 2011 at 3:03 am
I feel very bad for Aileen. I showed this to my family and they all said that they had a bright future ahead of them. RIP Aileen.
June 30th, 2011 at 6:14 am
Hi, i just wanted to let you know that Aileen’s facebook page was not deleted, but memorialized. I don’t think it should have been done, as all past posts from Aileen are now deleted, but friends are still posting, letting her know what they’re up to. there’s also a tumblr collecting letters to her: dearaileen.tumblr.com
July 3rd, 2011 at 9:28 pm
Aileen was in my 3rd grade class when she first moved to NY. She was one of the most amazing students I have known. I was devestated when I found out that she had been taken from this world. She had a bright future ahead of her, and it comes as no suprise to hear how well she continued to do in school and to hear of her accomplishments. I hope that everyone who reads of Aileen’s story will be inspired as she’s inspired me as a teacher. Going forward I will be sure to let my students know how much I care for them and how special they are, not only through my actions but I will be certain to tell them.
I pray that her family finds some peace knowing that Aileen was and is loved by so many.
I will always remember her and her beautiful smile and spirit!
July 7th, 2011 at 12:14 am
Please explain the memorial page, and if you can, please post a link.
July 7th, 2011 at 12:53 am
The original FB account made by Aileen’s friends from middle school was created the day she died and deleted the next day.
Her own FB account where she hung out was memorialize. When a FB account is memorialized, is is set so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search. It’s the way FB protects the deceased’s privacy. They remove contact information and status updates. Memorializing an account also prevents anyone from logging into it in the future, while still enabling friends and family to leave posts on the profile Wall in remembrance.
There is a new Aileen Chen FB page, but not many posts on it. It’s here:
http://www.facebook.com/RestInPeaceAileenChen
July 12th, 2011 at 4:30 am
I miss Aileen so much. I keep coming back here and reading and wondering if others still miss her.
July 23rd, 2011 at 5:25 pm
I assure you that I do, Connie. I miss her every day.
July 22nd, 2016 at 12:29 am
It has been five years and I still miss her like crazy. Does anyone know where her burial site is? I’d love to go visit.
August 25th, 2016 at 5:15 am
J (comment above) – I saw your name and I smiled. I called the funeral parlor and they didn’t have the records any longer. They said they only kept them one year.
I know Aileen had a younger sister (I don’t remember her name) and The Post mentioned a cousin who was 25 at the time Dila Szeto. http://nypost.com/2011/06/05/tragic-teen-struck-and-killed-was-biking-against-light-cops/
August 29th, 2016 at 9:53 pm
Her burial site is in Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in New Jersey. The gravestone is made of black marble, while the others around hers are light-colored, so that should make it easier for you to search for hers.
August 30th, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Thank you for that info SC.
I called the cemetery – Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery is located at 187 Gills Lane in Iselin, NJ is open Monday to Friday (8:30 to 4:15 pm) and Sunday from 8:30 – 2pm (it’s closed on Saturday). Iselin is about 25 minutes away from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Aileen’s grave is in Section 3, Block 17, Row J – Grave # 1261. SC said the gravestone is black marble, while the others around it are light in color.
The office said to stop and get a map because it’s difficult to find as the numbers are not marked. I am going to stop by when I am in Iselin.