The humanitarian work that Abdul Rahman Kassig was committed to doing is needed more than ever.

Peter Kassig, who took the first name Abdul-Rahman after converting to Islam during captivity, was remembered as a good man, son, student and volunteer who dedicated himself to helping others and lived a short but full life, during a service Sunday at Butler University.

Muslim prayers are to be offered Friday afternoon for Abdul-Rahman Kassig at the Al Huda Foundation mosque in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers.

Ed and Paula Kassig, the parents of Abdul-Rahman (Peter) Kassig, the Indianapolis native and humanitarian aid worker killed by so-called Islamic State militants asked the public Monday to pray for both their son and the Syrian people. They also asked for privacy as they begin to mourn.

The U.S. government confirmed the authenticity of a video released Sunday showing the murder of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, formerly known as Peter. Family and friends say the 26-year-old felt compelled to serve others, regardless of the risk.

"We are heartbroken to learn that our son, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig, has lost his life as a result of his love for the Syrian people and his desire to ease their suffering. Our heart also goes out to the families of the Syrians who lost their lives, along with our son," Ed and Paula Kassig said in a statement released Sunday afternoon.

In statements released Sunday, local leaders offered prayers of support for the family of 26-year-old Abdul-Rahman Kassig, a Hoosier native and aid worker whose death at the hands of the Islamic State group was confirmed by the White House earlier in the day.

The Kassig family has released excerpts of Abdul-Rahman Kassig's writings sent to family, friends and teachers while he was working in the Middle East as an aid worker. The collection also includes a letter Kassig wrote to his parents while being held hostage by the so-called Islamic State.

This is the third time the Indianapolis couple has reached out to ISIS using social media, asking for mercy.

Ed Kassig and two of Abdul-Rahman's friends, Emma Beals, a journalist covering the Middle East; and Eliot Stempf, a friend and colleague, offered remarks as part of the program.