A businessman likened the loss of his university student son 15 months ago through a car crash as a standstill for him and his family’s life.

“My heart melts thinking about what had happened that day. I am still trying to cope up with the loss of my son,” said Kumar’s Car Care Service Limited proprietor 55-year-old Suresh Kumar.

“Our lives have come to a stop after we lost our son in a car crash,” says 53 -year-old Vidya Kumar, the mother of the late Kritesh Kumar.

Mr Kumar relives those moments almost daily since the shocking news came in through a phone call from Kritesh’s friend.

“When we received a call from Kritesh’s friend, we panicked and rushed out from home right away to come and see him,” Mr Kumar said.

“By the time we reached the accident site, his vehicle was removed and Kritesh was taken to the hospital.

“Then I and my wife went down to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.”

The couple could not fathom how things changed in just a few minutes.

The loss was further compounded by the pride the couple had in their youngest son who had a loyal disposition and always stood by his family and friends.

Mr Kumar said his son was the pride of the family and the community.

“When we reached CWM at around 10am, the security guards did not let us in to see him,” Mr Kumar said.

He said the words of a friend he met while trying to get in the ward revealed the worst he could imagine.

“I met one of my friends outside and he said ‘he was your son?’ and then I realised that something was drastically wrong.

“I pushed the security to go see my son and there I saw his body was on the hospital bed.”

The 25-year-old Kritesh died instantly early Sunday morning on April 19, 2015 after crashing his navy blue Honda Civic vehicle into a lamp post on Ratu Mara Road, Suva.

Mr Kumar said that day was the worst day of his life as he lost his dearest son and his best friend.

“Kritesh had eight years of driving record, and never in that many years was he involved in an accident,” he said.

“I don’t understand what had happened that morning that I lost my son for good.

“He used to drive his mother and me around to the western side and other places.

“While my wife and I were out of Fiji for two years, Kritesh was the one who was running the business at the age of 18.

“Since then he had been involved in the family business and he even studied commerce to work in his own company and as an accountant.”

Kritesh studied at Samabula Primary School for his primary education before moving to Suva Sangam College for his secondary schooling.

He went on and furthered his education studying for an undergraduate programme with a Bachelor’s Commerce degree at the Fiji National University.

He was just five days away from graduation fom FNU; and his family was also preparing for his wedding in December, 2015 when his life was taken away.

FNU College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism studies assistant lecturer Karishma Mudaliar said they presented the certificate of completion to the family.

The certificate was some consolation. But the loss of their son has been a continuing struggle for the Kumars.

Edited by Rusiate Matiaka

Feedback: ashna.kumar@fijisun.com.fj