Husband, father speaks after losing half his family in Markham crash
[Four-year-old Savani Guruge and her mother Inoka died in a two-car collision on Monday. Photo: Pradeep Guruge via CBC]
Monday morning started off like any other work day for Pradeep Guruge, but it ended with the loss of his wife and one of his daughters in a horrific car crash.
His wife, Inoka Athuraliya Liyana Waduge dropped him off at the Markham Go Station.
His four-year-old daughter, Savani Guruge, was also in the car.
“I kissed both of them goodbye like any other day." He had no idea that would be the last goodbye.
On the way home, the mother and daughter were involved in a two-car collision at 16th Avenue and Bur Oak Avenue.
It happened just after 10 am. Guruge was at work when he got a call from home.
"My other daughter said there is a police officer here. He talked to me and he said there is an accident and he wanted me to come to the hospital.”
When he arrived Guruge says he was told his wife had died. He then went to Sick Kids Hospital, where his daughter had been taken and there he was told she too had died.
“it’s very hard to stop all the memories that are coming to my mind."
The family moved to Markham from Sri Lanka 10 years ago. Inoka stayed home to care for their two kids during the day and worked evenings and weekends at a local McDonald’s.
"She was a very helpful person. She used to help everyone and she was very caring and she looked after everything because I leave home in the morning and come back in the evening and she looked after me and my kids,” Guruge said.
[Inoka Guruge had just dropped off her husband moments before being getting into a fatal collision. Photo: Pradeep Guruge via CBC]
Savani Guruge had just finished Junior Kindergarten at Black Walnut Public School.
She would have started senior kindergarten next month.
“My daughter was very playful. She wanted to spend time outside, all the time,” Guruge said.
“I wanted my daughter to grow up.”
Guruge says a public viewing will be held on Saturday at Chapel Ridge Home on Woodbine between 6 pm to 9 pm.
“They have been loved by everyone in the community, even the neighbourhood, so everyone misses them so much.”
Police are still investigating the two-car crash.
A 28-year-old man and a five-and-a-half month baby in the other vehicle had minor injuries.
Meanwhile, Guruge is now a single father to a 12-year-old daughter and is unsure about what the future holds.
“I still don’t have a clear idea what I’m going to do.”
