| sparsha |
Posted
on 22-Nov-00 03:07 PM
What follows is a news from the Washington Post (Nov. 21, 2000) METRO section.
I did not know the "swargiya person" but I wanted to post this sad news here thinking if anyone who knew him comes across this site will have the info. May God bless Mr. karki's soul in peace.
Not sure if I should be posting this sort of news here or not BUT I dared this time hoping that we all Nepali may agree that we lost one of us.
VIRGINIA
Bicyclist Killed in Collision With Car
A 35-year-old Manassas man was struck by a car and killed Sunday night after he turned his bicycle in front of a car.
Manassas City police said Basanta Karki, of Olden Court, was riding his bicycle at about 9 p.m. on the southbound shoulder of Godwin Drive when he turned into the path of a 1993 Pontiac that was traveling in the same direction. Karki was taken by ambulance to Prince William Hospital, where he died about an hour later.
******************
The following is from Nepalhorizons.com:
Passing of Community Member and a Friend of ANS, Mr. Basanta Karki
Human suffering in this world seems to visit those that least deserve it.
How else to explain the pain and suffering that befalls millions of innocent
people but when that person is a close friend or a family member, it is
almost impossible within our human selves to find a logical reason for this
misfortune. So today I write this eulogy not only to mourn the passing of
Mr. Basanta Karki but to celebrate his spirit.
Basanta Karki's story is the story of great promise and happiness cut short
for no apparent reason. On Sunday night, while driving home from his
restaurant job as a cook, he was struck and killed by a motorist. The
details of this tragedy are irrelevant next to the fact that a promising
life has been cut short at the young age of 35. An only son, he leaves
behind a young wife and a three year old child in Nepal.
Mr. Karki was the quintessential Nepali from the hills, born and raised with
the experience and upbringing of the "pahad." When Drs. Anup and Lilly KC
invited him to this country and offered him a room in their basement to
make a go of it over here, he was ecstatic and quickly made it over here.
Like many Nepalese on a dead-end track in Nepal, he felt that if he could
just get here, he would find a way to improve his lot. Like most immigrants
given this opportunity, he accepted his good fortune with great pride and
enthusiasm and was soon working the afternoon and evening shift at a local
Japanese restaurant.
Despite being trained as a lawyer, he had no psychological baggage in
working as a cook and excelled in his job so much and with his easy-going
manner, he soon became a favorite at the restaurant. Along the way, he
learned to do odd jobs around the house and, with his characteristic
curiosity and energy, was soon developing skills in remodeling bathrooms,
building decks, and fences.
He took every opportunity to learn and dreamed he could take these skills
back to Nepal and apply them to his own house that he was proudly
constructing using the savings from his job. I remember that he selflessly
offered his help during America Nepal Society events and often with an
efficiency and a smile that made be proud to be working side-by-side with
someone that had so little but was willing to do whatever he could to help
others.
In a sense, his story is one that millions of immigrants have shared -
particularly those that came to this country when there was nothing their
own countries could offer. Given a chance to improve their lot combined
with the incredible resources of this country, they quickly excelled and in
a brief period of time, became solid middle class citizens of this country.
Many Nepalese have repeated this story and as one looks around our own
community, one can see evidence of prosperity and promise. But sadly,
Basant-ji, as I liked to call him, will no longer be a player in this great
game and his tragedy is one that leaves me looking for explanations on how
cruel life can be - how tragedy undeservedly falls on those that his close
friends describe as..."akha ma hale pani na beejne manche."
So now I want to say good-bye to Basanta-ji with great sadness as well as to
appreciate his spirit, a spirit that we can all learn from and by doing so,
we all keep alive in each of us some of that spirit - that joy and love of
life.
Donations for funeral services (his body is being transported to Nepal) and
for this family are accepted at:
Anup Pahari
9200 Olden Court
Manassas, VA 20110
Pravin Rana
ANS President
*******
Earlier, we informed you of the tragic death of Mr. Basanta Karki, 35.
He was struck by a car on his way from his job at 9:00 PM on Sunday,
November 19. He is survived by a wife and young child in Nepal. Although
his body is scheduled to be cremated in Nepal, his close friends, Dr. Anup
and Lilly Pahari have requested the funeral home to provide an opportunity
for friends to stop by and say a final farewell. Details are provided
below:
Location: Price Funeral Home
9609 Center St.
Manassas, VA
20110
Date: Nov/22/2000
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM ONLY.
Directions from the Beltway: Take 66 West
Take the VA-234 SOUTH exit
Merge onto SUDLEY RD/VA-234
Turn RIGHT onto GODWIN DR.
Turn LEFT onto WELLINGTON RD.
Turn LEFT onto NOKESVILLE RD
NOKESVILLE RDbecomes CENTER ST
Funeral Home is 9609 Center St.
PLEASE DOUBLE-CHECK DIRECTIONS FOR YOURSELF ON YAHOO.COM.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE FUNERAL HOME AS THEY CANNOT FIELD VERY MANY CALLS.
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