The Late William K. Brehm (d. 2025)
Screenshot from Interview at https://leadersandbest.umich.edu/brehm
It feels too soon to be writing a reflection on Mr. Brehm’s life. Perhaps I assumed he would be around to see additionally significant ripple effects of his generosity first. At least a few more updates that he used to encourage my colleagues and me to share. Alas. But I will write, nonetheless, for others to get a glimpse of what this loss means. Much more should be discussed in less somber times… On Thursday evening, I received the sad news that Mr. William K. Brehm had passed away the day before (July 30, 2025). My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and others pained by the departure of this notable philanthropist, mentor, and public servant.
As a recipient of the William K. Brehm Scholarship at the University of Michigan in 2006, I joined a growing group of Fordson High School graduates who — like Brehm — would soon call both Fordson and UMich their alma mater. To provide some context, up until that point many Fordson seniors rarely thought of applying to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, let alone top-ranking schools out of state. The Brehm scholarship, along with the administration and advocacy led by Fordson’s former principal, the late Mr. Imad Fadlallah (d. 2017), remarkably changed that trend. About twenty years later, it is now becoming familiar news to hear of Fordson High School graduates admitted into top-ranking programs across the country.
Despite receiving many other awards that year (2006) and beyond, the late Mr. Brehm became more of a mentor to me and a symbol of philanthropy that enhanced prior as well as subsequent achievements. I had previously heard of philanthropists. I had previously felt grassroots community encouragement and solidarity. But the late Mr. Brehm, along with his late wife Mrs. Delores Brehm (d. 2022), became a more tangible symbol of philanthropy. One that goes beyond the borders of shared ethnicity, religion, and class privilege. This symbol personifies a spirit of friendship, in addition to collegiality and genuine concern. It is a symbol that continues to motivate me throughout my journey.
It was not the Resume/CV of Mr. or Mrs. Brehm that inspired this, in my estimation. I, for one, knew little to nothing of the late William Brehm’s tenure in government. I don’t recall ever discussing government or politics with him myself. After all, I only knew him many decades after he had left government and made his fortune through the private sector. His few words in person exuded the tranquility of wisdom gained through experience. His thoughtful E-mail messages made the much younger me feel destined for greatness even in the midst of a setback, and the more recent me humbled despite being recognized for achievement. I saw his care for humanity, his appreciation for the arts, his sense of gratitude to his alma mater, and his generosity of time and spirit, not merely monetary wealth. He was an artist with a passion for devotional performances, but also a systems thinker, determined to accelerate diabetes research. If I were to extrapolate based on this, it would not be a stretch to assume that the late Bill Brehm would have worked to improve or minimize the damage of any system in which he had a decision to influence, and then in all humility give credit to the team as a whole, asking God Almighty to pardon any shortcomings in serving the public good.
With the man-made suffering in our world today, especially the atrocities of death and starvation making headlines, with so little outrage in proportion, I would not be surprised if a man of conscience dropped dead in agony. I can only imagine our dearly departed Mr. Brehm reminding us that gratitude matters, generosity matters, systems thinking matters, minimizing harm matters, art matters, humanity matters, anyone starving — let alone women and children starving — matters. I recall, in particular, Bill’s 2013 E-mail response to my description of the annual Arbaeen visit, where food and drink are freely offered as a convenience to the visitors every few feet along a walking route of approximately 50 miles:
“The pilgrimage you describe sounds wonderful. In these days of so much strife it is reassuring to learn of people reaching out to each other in a spirit of friendship and genuine concern.”
May his memory be a blessing.
Intro to this Blog
I have been considering the pros and cons of focusing this blog on a particular theme or intended readership. With all the merits of specialization, I submit that my academic specialization has me niched enough for the rest of my time on Earth, and that I will be looking forward to this blog as a more diversified avenue of expression. It will still be me, just not always the PhD dissertation mode of me. For that, I beg your pardon, you will have to wait for the occasional academic study I announce here, or read parts of my dissertation (hint to fellow academics, in particular). So you can expect this blog to shed light on the more far-reaching implications of my work as an academic, tailored to a diverse and broad readership, weighing in on current events while also contextualizing and drawing lessons from history. Without further ado, welcome to Ali Moughania’s blog!
