Despite both being born in Alberta, Canada, Asim Kirmani (‘88) and Sherri McKeage (‘91) met in Tripoli, Libya. Sherri was heading to LAS for her 9th grade year when friends introduced her to Asim so she wouldn’t be alone on her boarding school journey. It’s unlikely they predicted that nearly 40 years later, the duo would not only still be in touch, but meeting fellow LAS alumni in Calgary at a speakeasy.

Music is the bond that’s held them together. They get excited listing concerts they saw in Switzerland during their LAS years, including Bryan Adams, Motley Crue, Supertramp, AC/DC. One summer, they started a band with Sherri on vocals and Asim playing self-described “shitty guitar.” It couldn’t have been that bad, since their demo tape helped him break into the music industry in LA after graduation.

Their memories of LAS come back to their faculty family, the Renners, time and time again, particularly Mr. Renner. Asim got daily attention in the form of a raw egg in a glass of milk every morning in an attempt to bulk him up. After two years of persistence, metabolism won out and the PE teacher admitted defeat.

Sherri, who’s tall, remembers meeting Mr. Renner in the Savoy dining room on her first day. Her vertical reach bested his by an inch and he informed her that she would be playing basketball. Sherri wasn’t a basketball player until that day and recalls the moment as a warm welcome to the LAS community.

Their warm memories include Mr. Sharp, Mr. Skove, and Mr. Greedy, who encouraged Asim to apply to Parsons, which eventually lead to a career in design after enjoying the beach bum musician life in LA. Today, he lives in Calgary where he works full-time and cares for his aging parents, visiting them twice a day, every day. He’s still lean and full of energy, friendly and kind.

Sherri has a calming energy and it’s both shocking and obvious that she’s a volunteer death doula. As a kid, she mediated for her brother James McKeage (‘92) and held a special kind of contempt for golf courses as a result, which took the joy out of nature. She didn’t quite start a commune after graduation, but harbors a beautiful wisdom and generosity of spirit that are a little retreat on their own.

Watching Asim and Sherri together is sweet. As Asim puts it, running into alumni takes him right back to Leysin, as if he’s just gone up to Feydey for twenty minutes and returned. It’s like no time has passed.

Written by Christine Taylor