Luther J. Khachigian Estate leaves substantial bequest to AECP
During his life, Luther J. Khachigian was a dedicated and profound supporter of the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) and its mission in Armenia. In his passing, the late Khachigian, who was a Central Valley California farmer and businessman, continues to support the nonprofit’s sight-saving initiatives posthumously through his estate. The Estate of Luther Khachigian recently provided AECP with a substantial bequest empowering the organization to continue its lifelong mission to eliminate preventable blindness in Armenia and make quality eye care accessible to every resident in the country.
“Words cannot express how proud I am of my father,” Luther Khachigian II, son of the late Khachigian and the executor of his estate, said. “Luther Khachigian’s contributions to AECP and his philanthropy overall is emblematic of his broader commitment to improving health outcomes in underserved communities. Through initiatives like AECP, he has played a vital role in providing essential eye care services to both children and adults in Armenia. By championing these causes, my father has taught me to continue to strengthen the fabric of Armenian society through improved health outcomes and increased access to necessary medical resources.”
The estate’s recent bequest is just one example of the late Khachigian’s generosity and commitment to AECP. A supporter of the organization since its founding, Khachigian’s contributions to AECP also include: underwriting the John Ohannes Khachigian AECP Regional Eye Center in Gyumri, a massive initiative named after Khachigian’s father that has made quality eye care both convenient and accessible to residents in and near the second-largest city in Armenia, sponsorship of valuable pieces of medical equipment (RetCams) for AECP’s Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness in Yerevan, essential tools for identifying eye disease among infants and children in Armenia, and much more.
Khachigian’s continued dedication to AECP was directly tied to his passion for eye care. Diagnosed with glaucoma at age 30, Khachigian became increasingly interested in eye care and knew it would be the primary cause he would support in his life. Khachigian’s benevolence was all-encompassing – having donated to over 50 charities in his life – but he admitted he had a special place in his heart for AECP.
“Luther Khachigian was a true philanthropist,” AECP Founder and President Dr. Roger Ohanesian said. “I will remember him most by our pleasant conversations over the phone. He would occasionally call and ask, ‘What else can I do?’ I could feel how strongly he cared through his voice… how so very much he wanted to help all the people in Armenia he possibly could through his support.”
AECP had the distinct privilege to honor the late Luther Khachigian at its annual gala in 2023. The organization also had a chance to speak to Khachigian several years before his passing. Reflecting on the motivation for his contributions, Khachigian said, “If these babies had not been seen and had not had treatment, they would have gone blind. These kids are going to see the year 2100 and they will never know who did it for them. There’s something exciting about that.”
Thanks to the recent legacy funding made possible by Luther Khachigian’s estate, together with the investments Khachigian has already made toward eye care services in Armenia, Khachigian’s impact will withstand generations and continue to be a shining light for so many in need of eye care in Armenia, just as he intended.
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