Tears flow in Arima for young crash victim

Scores of friends and well wishers of the family of accident victim Raeann Diaz gathered to pay their respects at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Arima, yesterday evening. Diaz, 16, fifth form student of Caribbean Union College (CUC),  perished following a three-car collision on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Trincity, on Sunday November 16. Diaz is the second fatality in the crash as her acquaintance Lisette King, 16, student of St Joseph’s Convent died on the spot when the car in which she became trapped burst into flames.  Her father, Everald King, was able to rescue Diaz. Diaz had sustained severe burns about the body and was warded at the Intensive Care Unit of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where she passed away on Wednesday while receiving treatment.

The church was packed to capacity with CUC students lining the aisles of the church. “Today there is a conflict of emotions. Instead of singing for  Raeann’s graduation or celebrating her entrance into medical school, we are forced to celebrate her life in a different way,” lamented Pastor Ken Tobias. In what may be considered a fateful twist, tears began flowing not only from faces in the congregation, but from the sky as well, as rain began to fall at the very instant the service began. The eulogy, read by Avione Richardson, drew simultaneous laughter and tears as the congregation was taken on a journey through the life of young Diaz who had celebrated her 16th birthday just 11 days prior to the accident. Relatives of the child were unable to contain their emotions as the service went on. Diaz’s elder sister Ria, fell to her knees while laying her hand on the casket and the child’s father, Robert, wept uncontrollably while being comforted by his wife Ann and sons Ronald and Ryan (Newsday employee). Family members of the other accident victim were also present at the funeral. The tears continued to flow as the casket was carried out of the church.