Altoona City Councilman Jason Ibrahim died Friday night, city officials said Saturday.
Ibrahim, 29, who died from natural causes, is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and three children, ages 3, 1 and 3 months.
"We lost a good one," Altoona City Councilman David Butterbaugh said.
The New Jersey native won a bid for the council in November, receiving the second-highest amount of votes, Mayor William Schirf said.
"When he ran his campaign, he was very dedicated," Schirf said. "He went to hundreds of homes in Altoona, going door to door. He loved being on City Council. He just had a vision for Altoona that he wanted to bring new ideas."
Schirf said that being fiscally responsible, bringing new companies and improved technology to the area and revitalizing the downtown area were all important issues to Ibrahim, who considered Altoona his home, although he had only lived in the area for a few years.
"He'd grown to love this city, and he believed in this city, and he wanted to move this city forward," Schirf said. "He believed he could make a difference with his ideas."
Butterbaugh, also a new member on the council, was enjoying learning the ropes with Ibrahim.
"We were just starting to put our heads together," Butterbaugh said. "We were very supportive of one another. That's what I'll miss the most. The city lost a good man. I will greatly miss him. It's a great loss for the council. The people put their faith in him by voting him to be there. He was so young with so much ahead of him."
Councilman Erik Cagle called Ibrahim a "strong man of faith" who will "really be missed."
"He had decided to run for City Council because he felt that he could make a difference not just for his family, but for other people who wanted to make Altoona a better place. He was only on council less than two months and already you could tell he was passionate about what he campaigned on."
Ibrahim's youth brought a different perspective to the council, Cagle said.
"I think he would have done very well representing the city," Cagle said. "It's a shame he didn't get to do more. He'll be sorely missed."
Friends Matthew and Christina Garber met the Ibrahims at Grove City College in 1999 and saw his faith as well as his love for politics grow over the past decade.
"He found Christianity answering questions that he couldn't get around," Matt Garber, a former councilman, said. "He accepted that and really jumped into that. In some ways, he looked at council as a way of serving. He was looking ahead to other ways he could serve."
Christina Garber, who served as Ibrahim's campaign manager in 2009, recalled the two families sitting around their friends' dining room table, praying for the city and for a way to help the city. Ibrahim got involved in politics partially because of his strong belief in pro-life issues and a desire to be fiscally responsible.
"He thought, 'How can I have the most impact with what my gifts and skills are to influence people with this issue?'" she said. "He decided to run for council in response to that."
To friends, Matt Garber said, Ibrahim will be remembered for the fun he had playing Ultimate Frisbee and watching old movies. The city, he added, will mourn the loss of a man with true passion for his community and for believing strongly in the issues he campaigned for.
"That wasn't politics for him," he said. "That was real."
Ibrahim's seat on the council likely will have to be filled within 30 days, Schirf said, with advertising for the position and an appointment to take place in the near future. The person elected will fill the seat until the municipal election in 2011.
A fund has been set up to assist Ibrahim's family. Donations can be made to the Elizabeth Ibrahim Children's Benefit Account at any M&T Bank location. More information can be found at www.jasonschildren.com.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete late Saturday.
