Widow balances scale of grief & optimism following fatal accident

GRIEVING WIDOW: Tilotema Harkie

42-year-old Keshwardial Harkie a father of four was killed Monday in an accident along the No.64 Public Road while riding his motorcycle CH 6898. The accident featured the motorcycle and canter truck GYY 4041.

In an interview with BIG Smith News Watch on Tuesday at the family’s Corentyne home, the grief-stricken wife lamented that the sudden death of Keshwardial has taken away the family’s breadwinner and the wounds of the shock and disbelief are still fresh.

Keshwardial Harkie while heading to work sometime back

“He was more than a husband and father he was like our best friend that you can talk to about anything. He was not always strict, you can talk to him about anything. Where are we going to find another person like him…How can we move on? Tilotema Harkie, widow of the man questioned.

The police in their report on the accident indicated that the canter driver was proceeding at a fast rate of speed but also noted that Harkie reportedly made a sudden turn into the path of the canter in a bit to enter a cross-dam and as a result of that, the front of the lorry came into contact with the motorcycle.

In our interview with Mrs. Harkie on Tuesday, she noted that her husband left home at approximately 08:30hrs Monday for the Backdam. However moment after he left home, she received the heartbreaking news that her husband was involved in an accident and that she needed to make her way to the hospital.

She related to this publication in tears, that when she arrived at the hospital, she saw her husband on a stretcher in an unconscious state until she received the dreaded news from the doctors that her husband “did not make it”

“Tell me this is a dream…I just dream this bad dream; tell me this is not real. What will I tell my children about their father when I get home?” the weeping wife questioned the doctors who broke the news to her Monday.

A police mark indicating where the canter came to a stop after the collision

Tilotema Harkie was able to confront the driver of the canter who claimed the life of her husband. She reported to this publication that she peacefully asked him if there was no way her husband’s life could have been saved while lamenting to him that she would have been ok with him being injured but alive.

Keshwardial Harkie worked for almost twenty years with GuySuco. He also had a stint working as a rice farmer. He leaves to mourn his wife and four children; ages 1, 9, 11 and 18 along with other family, friends and loved ones.

Tilotema Harkie said while acting as the mother and father for her children will now be hard, she believes her that she will manage while expressing confidence that the police will conduct a proper probe into the accident to determine who of the two motorists on Monday.