People who watched the hit Netflix docuseries Cheer season 2 may have noticed a dedication screen at the end. The final episode concluded with a tribute card appearing on the screen, broadcasting the words, “In memory of Messai Mkria.” This left many viewers wondering who Messai Mekria was and how he was connected to the famous reality series, Cheer?
It is not uncommon to see a dedication memorial at the end of a television program episode, which honors someone who has recently passed away. Specific episodes in a series are often dedicated to a deceased person. The person being memorialized will have had some kind of connection to the show. Typically, the episode after which the dedication is shown is the last one in which the person was involved.
Messai was the lead assistant editor for Cheer, and according to IMDb, he worked on all 15 episodes of the series' current installments. He also worked as an assistant editor and lead assistant editor for another popular Netflix series, Last Chance U. Prior to his work with Netflix, he served as an assistant editor for other docuseries, such as On Tour With Asperger's Are Us for HBO Max and Sounds By The Sound for Revolt Media & TV. He also did some work as a gaffer and a first AD.
Messai was born on April 3, 1987. He passed away unexpectedly on December 27, 2021, at the age of 34. The cause of death is currently unknown, although there has been speculation that an accident led to his death. He graduated from T.C. Williams High School, which is located outside of Baltimore, in 2006. According to his Messai LinkedIn, he studied film editing at the Video Symphony institute and learned about motion and design at the School of Motion. He started his own production company, Keyframe, Inc., in March of 2021, as per Messaimkria.com.
When he wasn't working on sports docu-dramas like Cheer, Messai had many passions. He loved photography, was an avid yoga practitioner and enjoyed meditating. According to his @lightspacetime Instagram, Messai was also into skateboarding. He was very close with his family, and his relatives made a tribute video that they posted to his YouTube page at Messai M. The video was made for his funeral at Amanuel the Ethiopian Church in Alexandria, Virginia, but remains available for public viewing on YouTube.
Cheer fans extend their condolences to the friends and family of Messai. His contributions to the show won't be forgotten. He will also be remembered for the work he did on the beloved football/basketball series Last Chance U and many other wonderful projects. He was dedicated to his work, and he will be missed by the many people who had the pleasure of working with him.