Ermia Lachiani, 24, was a hardworking young man whose kind heart was his true strength.
Born and raised in Isfahan, he was his parents’ only child and had ambitious plans from a young age.
When he was 16, he began working in a pharmacy while attending school full-time.
His mother said that he learned that to get ahead, you had to stand tall, even when you’re exhausted.
“In general, Ermia cared more about the suffering of others and his fellow human beings than about himself,” his mother told The Jerusalem Post.
“When he worked at the pharmacy and saw people who couldn't afford specialized medication for their illnesses, it broke him. He believed in humanity and in being a ‘big’ person—that kindness is the truest sign of strength.”
Aspiring rapper dreamed of being the greatest rapper in a free and just Iran
Lachiani was also a gifted musician and was an aspiring rapper. He loved Eminem, Tupac, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake.
“It didn't matter to him how long it would take; what mattered was that one day, his name would be heard alongside the best,” his mother told the Post.
His artistic sensibilities came through not only in his lyrics, but also in his poetry.
"I am a soldier of my people; not by force, but by my own choice,” he wrote.
His mother told the Post that he was constantly upset with the injustice he saw in the world.
“What set Ermia apart wasn’t just his big dreams; it was his massive heart,” she said.
“When I told him, ‘Ermia, eat your food,’ he would look at me angrily and say: ‘Young people are bleeding and being crushed in the streets, and you’re sitting here telling me to come and eat?’”
What happened to Lachiani during and after the protests on January 9?
Six months ago, he went to protest the Islamic Regime. He had taken part in protests in 2019, and had also felt deep sorrow for the murder of protesters during the Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022.
His mother noted that he had been on a hunger strike for three days before he went to protest.
He was killed on the night of January 9.
After his family recovered his body, they were allowed to hold a small funeral ceremony.
Authorities demanded that he be named as a martyr, but his family refused.
He leaves behind his family, but is remembered for his special bond with his mother.
Lachiani, she said, was her closest friend and her safe haven.
She told the Post that he was not just her son: “he was hope, he was comfort, he was a living, breathing dream.”
Since he was her only child, he had promised he would provide for her, be her protector, and “never let a shadow of worry touch her heart.”
Since his death, his mother has been heartbroken with the loss of her son, and feels like she will not get any peace.
“All over the world, people have the right to protest, but unfortunately, in our country, silence was answered with bullets,” his mother told the Post.
“In my opinion, everyone who has lost a loved one during this time is seeking justice and accountability.
“Whenever we find a moment of peace, it is solely because we believe he walked a path that he chose himself and was a pioneer in. This thought slightly heals our psychological wounds.
She added that she was proud of her son’s courage and the way he lived his life.
“Ermia was a boy who stood strong amidst hardships, fought with hope, and lived with love.
Someone who believed that through hard work, you can create a voice, and from that voice, a future.”