| |
The First 100 Days Without Him
October 7, 2009
By Dan Ferguson
There are pictures on the website
of Sanjeeve Sharma as a big-eyed
two-year-old preparing to munch
his Batman birthday cake.
At eight years, the birthday photos
show the round-faced little kid is
starting to stretch out, showing
signs of the tall, long-limbed young
man he will become.
There are videos, too.
One shows an athletic 6’1”
teenager towering over his
younger cousin Malcolm as they
pay tribute to their grandfather.
Sanjeeve is looking sharp in a
well-cut suit.
He is 14.
On Wednesday, Sanjeeve's family
marked the 100 days since his
death by launching the memorial
website at sanjeevesharma.com.
The top banner changes every time a visitor clicks on a page, showing some of the teen's
favourite things -- everything from the rock group KISS to the Vancouver Canucks to the Trailer
Parks Boys television show.
Sanjeeve was 15 years old when he died.
He was riding in a Chevrolet Malibu that slammed into a BMW SUV in a Newton business district
on June 29.
A 16-year-old boy from Surrey was at the wheel of the Malibu with two passengers – Sanjeeve
and an 18-year-old who was also from Surrey.
The driver of the Malibu was reportedly driving erratically before he hit the BMW, then slammed
into a light standard.
The 16-year-old driver and 18-year-old passenger in the Malibu escaped with what are described
as minor injuries.
So did the three occupants of the SUV.
So far no charges have been laid, but father Sanjay Sharma says he is confident the police
investigation will produce results.
Meanwhile, he wants to prevent other families from suffering the same loss.
And that is a key message of the website.
A section titled "Learn From Me" has Sanjeeve speaking directly to viewers.
"Please learn from my death, never get into a car with a driver who does not follow any of the
rules and regulations set in their licensing restrictions, these rules are here to save your life. I
got into a car with someone who did not follow the rules, as a result I died. I left my parents, my
younger brother, my loving friends and family. Do not let this happen to you."
It is a reminder about the driving rules that require new drivers to have an adult supervisor
sitting beside them who is at least 25 years old and has a valid driver’s licence.
Those regulations would have applied to the 16-year-old who was driving the Malibu Sanjeeve
was riding in.
dferguson@surreyleader.com
© Copyright 2009 Surrey North Delta Leader
|
|
|
