Saco — Isaiah Goh Makonnen, 20, passed away suddenly on May 30, 2017. 

Isaiah was born on February 21, 1997, in Portland, and grew up in Saco. Isaiah was funny and kind. He was loyal. He was diligent and honorable. He was normal but at the same time, miraculous. He cared deeply about many things, such as filmmaking, politics, music, social justice, hot sauce, and the woods.  He was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and survived five open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant. We thought we would lose him many times, but he persevered. We are grateful for the time we had with him. The boy who loved so many people, he needed two hearts. We love him. We will miss him. Rest easy.

Isaiah is survived by: his mother Michelle Feeney and her partner, Tracee Pomales, his father Joseph Makonnen and his wife, Bizi, and his sisters, Maya and Liya. Isaiah leaves many loving family members, including his great-grandmother, Mildred Thiboutot, his grandmother, Rita Thiboutot-Feeney, his grandfather, Daniel J. Feeney, his aunt, Simonne Feeney, his aunt and uncle, Chris and Danielle Lancaster, and cousins, Maxwell, Lillian, Jackson and Natalie. He is also survived by his grampa Makonnen, grandma Zenash, uncle Surafel, uncle Melaku, aunt Dana and aunt Prean and family friend Eric Noyes and Erica Rafford Noyes and many special friends, including Duncan and Hal St. Louis Farrelly, Chris Gagnon, and Porter and Jae Washington.   

Viewing will be from 3-8 p.m. Monday, June 5, 2017, with a service from 6 p.m., at Cote Funeral Home, 87 James St., Saco, ME 04072. The burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at Laurel Hill Cemetery 293 Beach St, Saco. To view Isaiah’s memorial page or leave an online condolence, please visit cotefuneralhome.com

Donations may be made in Isaiah’s name to Donate Life New England or Make a Wish Foundation.

 

  


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