WESTPORT — A young man who lived a memorable part of his short life in Westport will be honored with a lasting tribute to his legacy here.

Khaliq Sanda came to Westport as A Better Chance program scholar in 2010 and graduated from Staples High School in 2014.

His achievements at Staples and his life in the community were, by many accounts, remarkable. After leaving Westport to attend Duke University, Sanda was diagnosed with cancer and although he was able to complete his studies and graduate in 2018, he succumbed to the disease last March.

His death at 24 was a loss felt strongly by many in the community.

Now, there will be a permanent tribute to his memory with the announcement Thursday that the bridge carrying Hillspoint Road over Interstate 95 will be named in his honor. The announcement was made jointly by state Sen. Will Haskell, state Rep. Jonathan Steinberg and First Selectman Jim Marpe.

“Khaliq fostered friendships with people from all over the Staples community,” according to his obituary notice. “These bonds came easily to Khaliq—his friends recall that he loved people and people loved to love him.

“This love for Khaliq spread like wildfire throughout the Westport community. He acted as a unifier amongst his classmates — ‘knowing Khaliq’ was a common catalyst for Staples students forming new friendships,” the obituary said. 

“As a student, he was responsible, hardworking and exceptionally bright. Despite his course load, Khaliq managed to effortlessly excel in school.”

Officials paid similar tribute to Sanda in announcing that the Hillspoint bridge will be named in his honor.

“Khaliq left an indelible mark on Westport, enriching our town with his kindness, humor and grace,” Haskell said in the announcement. “…I hope [the bridge] will remind us of his optimism and compassion, bringing out the best of Westport — a town Khaliq loved and a town that loved him.”

Khaliq Sanda, according to Steinberg’s statement, “was an outstanding individual who had his future tragically cut short by cancer. During his time in Westport, he made a positive impact on our community — Khaliq was beloved by his peers and excelled in the classroom.”

Marpe added, “It speaks volumes that Khaliq was so highly respected and possessed strong leadership qualities — these are his legacies. 

“Now, he is further recognized with the honor of having this bridge named for him so that his kind heart and good works will be memorialized for generations to come.”