Father, son buried in same grave

TEARS flowed as Pradeep “Mitra” Lochan and his son Cameron, victims of a horrific car crash last week in San Juan, were buried together in the same coffin in  a grave at Penal yesterday. Both father and son were described as “gifts and angels, who came only for a time to be with us.” Both dressed in black appeared to be in deep sleep in a white coffin with white interior which was decorated with flowers. The funeral service was held at Mohess Road, Penal, where 24-year-old Pradeep spent most of his childhood. An uncle of the deceased man, Lenny Ramkissoon, delivered the eulogy and with teary eyes struggled throughout.

Looking at both father and son at each other’s side, Ramkissoon said, “He (Mitra) never lost sight of priorities, for Mitra, family came first. He was the most hard-working father anybody could know. He did all he could to care and preserve his family.” Ramkissoon said that because of these qualities Pradeep’s three-month-old daughter Celeste survived the car crash which brought about the demise of her father and brother. During the funeral service little Celeste was held by various family members, crying at times, though not quite aware of the tragedy which snatched her brother and father without warning. Shaking his head, Ramkissoon added, “Under the calm exterior there was strength, he (Mitra)  was so protective he made sure of the preservation of his daughter, that she was well strapped with her seatbelt.”  

Of the little three-year-old son Cameron, Ramkissoon in an ironic way attempted to provide solace saying, “Cameron, sweet gentle Cameron. “He brought so much joy to the family, his sweet  innocence was not to be tainted by worldly affairs.” Ramkisson said, “Mitra came from a humble home and he knew he wanted to be the best he could be. This was the same at work and when he married he took on the role with the same energy as work.” He said the angels (the deceased) which were sent from above had to return.

Pradeep’s widow Sally Bisnath-Lochan sat in a chair, comforted by close friends and relatives. Too overcome with grief, she had to be lifted bodily to a chair at the side of the coffin to view the bodies of her husband and son in the casket. She could not hold back the tears as she looked over the two bodies. Pradeep’s sister Susan recalled her brother as “caring, trustworthy, respectful,” and “one  who puts himself last, and see to it everybody else was happy.”

The pundit who conducted the service reminded, “We have to prepare ourselves; death is untimely, we can’t tell when our time is.” The service held underneath tents on the compound was completely filled with some people having to stand on the streets. Both father and son were heading east in their car along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, San Juan, last Tuesday when the driver of a panel van collided head on into the vehicle resulting in their deaths.