Theodros McKenzie Koumbis Mitiku was born in Winston-Salem, NC on March 17, 1991 to Fassil Mitiku, PE and Dr. Kathy E. McKenzie-Mitiku. He started his life on a holiday and nearly ended on another holiday. Life was to be lived: an adventure: an oyster to find that glistening pearl. Theodros means "child of God" and he had many names…Theo, Teddy, Meechee, Teddy Bear, and many more. He attended Wingate University and Guilford County Community College. He worked as a CAD designer with his father at FM Engineering, PLLC. His pride was apparent when he was present with his father for the opening of Salem Lake Marina and the Greensboro Aquatics Center; the Mitiku men were making a lasting impression not only throughout the United States, but here in their hometown.

Teddy had many passions including travel. He had three completed passports and was working on the fourth. He had two continents to complete all the continents. Australia was next on his list. He bought a pair of Ferrari shoes in Italy only to wear them once. The cruise ship, Sea Diamond, sunk. Luckily, his father was aboard because he was instrumental in helping the passengers get ashore; he is fluent in five languages and Greek is one of his primary languages. The next time Teddy went to Italy he bought the Ferrari shoes and wore them. In Singapore, Theo and two other college classmates bought kimono type robes, stood in front of a temple and bowed. A group gathered around them; they were featured on the Wingate University E-zine.

Sports were a must in his life. He could play soccer as soon as he could walk, thanks to dad carrying on the tradition of his grandfather, Hercules Koumbis Mitiku who was the goalie in the first organized soccer team, St. George Football Club in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Teddy was avid about collecting all of the first jerseys for the professional soccer clubs in North Carolina; Charlotte and Greenville. Greenville has not started sales, but he has his connections. Theo was one of the founding members of Wingate University's Rugby team. He was an avid golfer thanks to Mr. Johnson at Reynolds Park Golf Course. However, he refused to use his mom's green tees and pink golf balls. He loved lacrosse also. Formula One racing was leading him to Monaco in March with moma until his declining health interrupted international travel.

He loved community service as well. He organized books for anelementary school in Malawi. He visited the schools locally chose books representing African Americans for grades one through three and sent two suitcases to the school for a couple of years.

There was nothing too great or too small for this adventurer and lover of life. He loved his family and proclaimed he would never marry and have kids. His family initially started with Solomon George-Edward. A few years later, the family welcomed two nieces and a nephew as their adopted children: Mekdes, Bekele, and Anna Grace. Our circle of life has expanded to include Mekdes' husband, LaMar Alston and their children, Yodit and Isaiah. His family village was global with aunts, uncles, cousins in Sanford; god mother, Ms Sarah D. Stevenson; godfather, Dr. Dimitri Misaillidis and surrounding areas of North Carolina and the United States; Agio Nikolaou Laconias, Greece; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Australia.