Enver was born in Ulcinj, Montenegro in 1966 to Osman Mehmet Mustafic and Rahime Mustafic. He had three siblings, Mehmet, Sabahete, and Fatmir. Sadly, Mehmet fell ill as a child and passed away shortly thereafter, past rahmet.
As a child, and especially as a teenager, Enver spent much of his free time in Muriq at his daja, where he enjoyed being around his many cousins.
In 1988, he came to the United States in search of the American dream. At first, he lived with his uncle Qazim and his family, but before long, he and his sister Sabahete found an apartment of their own. His parents joined them the following year and his brother soon after.
In 1989, Enver and I were introduced, and our connection was instant. We became engaged soon after, and in 1991, we were married. I was 17 and he was 24. He was like no one I’ve ever met. With him, I felt grounded, safe and loved.
During his early years in New York, Enver worked briefly at a hotel, then at a fish market in the East Village, and later at Jefferson Market in the West Village. He often said Jefferson Market was his favorite job, busy, lively, and full of good people he grew close to.
In the 1990s, he transitioned from the city to Riverside, where he worked as a doorman. His final place of work was E 69th Street in New York City, also as a doorman. He started there in 2004, doing anything he could to make sure his tenants were taken care of, remaining reliable and devoted until the very end.
We welcomed our first child, Vaida, in 1994, and our second, Osman, in 1998. Enver was an extraordinary father, dedicated, supportive, and loving. Our children were truly blessed to have him as their dad.
In September 2009, after what felt like an endless search, we finally found our home. It was small, but perfect for us. We made a few updates, and on October 31, 2009, we moved in and began the next chapter of our lives there. Enver’s father passed away in 2012 after complications with a viral infection, past rahmet. They were very close and enjoyed discussing history, politics, geography, sports and much more. We entertained often, because having family gather to celebrate milestones, birthdays and holidays is what made our cozy little home feel special…Life was good.
But, as life sometimes does, our beautiful story took a painful turn. Enver was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer with metastasis to his liver. To say we were shocked and devastated does not begin to describe what we felt. He began chemotherapy on April 20, 2020, completely alone, as no one was allowed inside due to COVID. I sat in the car while he had his port placed, then drove him to MSK on 53rd Street, where he would begin treatment.
He went to his appointments, continued working, traveled and spent time with family, never once complaining, even when he was clearly suffering.
Once treatment stopped working, he declined very quickly, and within a matter of two weeks, he was gone.
The void is real. He is missed and thought of all day, every day.
Pac Rahmet, my love. ❤️
A tribute from Sabahete
🎃
Lunch
Lol
Grooming
🐠🐟
