Aidan Arif Ali

With great sadness we announce that Aidan Arif Ali, 26, passed away on November 29, 2024. His passing came after a fight to recover from injuries he sustained in a tragic accident. Tragically, Aidan was struck by an automobile while mountain biking at the Touch of Nature trails in Carbondale, IL. 

Aidan studied at Carbondale Community High School, Northwestern University, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where he developed a passion for environmental engineering. Aidan dreamed of creating a better future for our planet through his work, and he applied creativity to interests such as metalworking, artistic spray painting, and musical performance. 

Aidan's adventurous spirit, his empathy, and his fierce honesty have left lasting marks on those who knew him in life. All of those traits will be missed hereafter. 

Aidan is survived by his family, including his parents, Donna and Naushad Ali, and his two sisters, Diana Ali and Nadia Ali. Aidan was deeply loved by his brother-in-laws, Neko Jackson and Seth Jones, as well as by his niece and nephew, Sofia and Adam Ali Jones. Aidan is survived also by several relatives in Canada and India. In Canada, these include his grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousin. In India, they include several uncles, aunts, and many cousins. All of them cherished their time with him. 

Now Aidan’s memory will live on in the hearts of his family and friends. His legacy is a reminder to live and to love with the passion that filled his life. To honor him means safeguarding our natural world, and it means exploring the possibilities of life with unbounded curiosity. 

A memorial service to honor Aidan's life will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale. 

Schedule will be as follows—

2-2:15pm people will gather and get seated 

2:15-3:15pm speeches in loving memory of Aidan

3:30-5pm tea & refreshments 

In honor of Aidan’s love for nature, we invite anyone who feels moved to donate to Green Earth, an organization dedicated to preserving natural areas in Southern Illinois—a cause he cared deeply about. Donations can be made at www.greenearthinc.org/donate. 

May Aidan rest in peace, and may he inspire us always. 

Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale assisted the family with arrangements.