DAYS before her daughter’s 21st birthday, Alanieta Ravialaca is preparing to lay her to rest instead.
Her eldest child, Kinisimere Nalu, is the latest victim of a recent horrific car accident along Yaqara Flats, Tavua, which has already claimed the lives of two of her friends.
She died last Thursday at the Lautoka Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit where she had been admitted in a critical condition.
The driver of the vehicle she was travelling in, Mikaeli Nabaro, died at the scene and Kinisimere’s cousin, Senirusi Ulusova, passed away a few days later after fighting for his life in hospital.
Mrs Ravialaca described her child as a girl with “a beautiful heart who was very fond of children”. She said Kinisimere had started work at Golden Point Resort a week prior to the accident.
“She spent four months in Suva and told us she wanted to move back home so her father spoke to the resort manager who asked her over for an interview and she got the job,” she said.
“On Monday (June 18) afternoon, she went to Senirusi and asked him to accompany her the next morning, so he spent the night with us. “I woke up that Tuesday morning at 3am, made her roti and curry for lunch and woke them up about 4.30am. “At 5am, they both walked to the road and we thought they were going by bus.”
Her husband, Amori Batidegei, said someone informed him of the accident after he returned from work at the Vatukoula goldmine. Mrs Ravialaca said despite the tragedy, they would celebrate their daughter’s birthday when she is laid to rest tomorrow.
“We had mats made for her birthday and we will bury this with her. We went to select fabric so we could have kalavata on her birthday. We will use the same material to sew a dress for her. “We will also bake a cake and Kinisimere’s youngest sister will blow out the candles and we will listen to the Word of God.”
She said relatives from Tailevu and Naitasiri were expected to attend the funeral and they were humbled by the outpouring of love from their neighbours.
“I really miss her. I always stop and think about her and cry but I know she is with God now.”
