GoFundMe Started For Family Of Herndon Woman Known For Her Kindness

HERNDON, VA — Tina Habibi was known for her kindness, infectious smile and ability to connect with others, according to Mina Eslampour, a close friend of the 23-year-old from Herndon who died in a weekend car accident.

“It is with great sadness to announce her untimely death,” Eslampour wrote, on a GoFundMe campaign she launched. “Tina Habibi was a bright and compassionate young woman who had recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University on a pre-med track. She had big dreams of becoming a doctor and was determined to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.”

Habibi died early Saturday morning from injuries she received in a single-vehicle crash near Fairfax County Parkway and Elden Street in Reston. She was a passenger in a 2019 BMW M850I that police say left the road and flipped over. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Eslampour launched the GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for Habibi’s memorial fund. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to help pay for a funeral service to honor her memory.

“Tina Habibi was the only child of her family,” Eslampour told Patch on Wednesday. “Her passing was a great tragedy to us all. She was my best friend. Her family is unable to fund the funeral services on their own, so I created a GoFundMe on their behalf. The money we raise is linked directly to her father’s account, and all money will be used for her funeral services and to provide some relief for the family.”

As of noon on Wednesday, Tina Habibi’s Memorial Fund had received 507 donations and raised $22,777 toward the fundraising goal of $30,000.

Eslampour met Habibi last summer at a restaurant.

"We were both in line for the bathroom and I turned to her and asked her if she was Persian," she said. "From then on we instantly clicked and hung out practically everyday. Though I did not know her very long I knew we would have been long time friends for life. It is heartbreaking that I cannot be with her anymore since her tragic passing.

In addition to pursuing a medical degree, Habibi volunteered with PALS Program, a nonprofit whose mission is to ensure inclusive camp experiences for people with and without Down syndrome.

"She volunteered and worked for cancer clinics and touched the lives of many of her patients," Eslampour said. "She had the brightest smile and the most wholesome personality. She had very many friends and her funeral will be full of many who love her."

Visit the Tina Habibi Memorial Fund’s GoFundMe page to make a donation.