The sun was setting on a fall afternoon, and families were heading for Smokey Oval Park.
It looked like any other Sunday for this Guyanese enclave nestled in Richmond Hill. But the residents strolling down their streets toward the park didn’t have good times on their minds.
They were still reeling from the loss of four neighborhood teenagers who died after their friend, Joseph Beer, lost control of his 2012 Subaru hatchback, crashing it while driving on the Southern State Parkway about two weeks ago. His four friends — three who were former classmates together at Richmond Hill High School — were ejected from the vehicle, as the car split in two after hitting the trees lining the road.
Beer, the sole survivor, is currently having a toxicology report done to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in the wreck. At this time, no charges have been filed, according to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.
And at Smokey Oval Park this past Sunday evening, hundreds of community members crowded onto the grass for a candle light vigil dedicated to those four young boys.
Family, friends and politicians spoke. Priests and Imams prayed. No one outright mentioned Beer — who didn’t attend the vigil — or the possible circumstances of the crash. They were there to mourn, and not speculate.
“This was just a tragic accident. I don’t really have an opinion on him [Beer],” said Julie Ramnarine, who lost her nephew, Darian Ramnarine, in the crash.
Community leaders helped organize the vigil. It started with the victim’s family members lighting a candle and placing it on an empty white chair that rested on the stage.
Sondat Bhawan, who lost his 18-year-old son Christopher Khan, struggled against the wind to keep the match lit, as he also wrestled with the reality of what had happened to his son.
“We can’t believe it,” said this sheet-metal worker from Guyana. He and his family were all wearing baby-blue hoodies with Khan’s face imprinted on the front — “Our Angel,” was written above the picture.
With candles flickering, family and friends were invited up to speak about the four victims.
Anessa Thomas and Arifa Imran, Khan’s cousins, read off the birthday’s of each boy,
Fiona Rajapa, sister of the victim Neal Rajapa, at the Smokey Oval Park vigil.
pointing out that they were all born within four months of each other.
“Their presence was profound. They made us laugh and cry,” said Khan’s cousin, holding back tears. “His friends will remember him playing basketball in this park, and his parents will remember him learning how to play in their backyard.”
The uncle of Peter Kanhai offered less words about the loss of his nephew, and instead used his time to warn other teenagers to be more careful behind the wheel.
“We have to learn from this,” he said. “Do not drink and drive, do not smoke and drive, do not go and think you’re a superhero on the road. You’re not invincible.”
Several politicians such as Council Member Elizabeth Crowley also offered her condolences, and briefly spoke about the dangers that can come with driving.
“We have to work together to make our roads safer,” Crowley said.
Council Member Ruben Wills also said a few words.
“We need to make sure we never lose anyone else in our community like this,” Wills said. “The memories of those sweet young angels we lost will be kept and cherished forever.”
Tears rolled down the face of Shantel Bissoon as she stood in the crowd holding a framed picture of her best friend, Darian Ramnarine. The two met when they were sophomores together at Richmond Hill High School.
“I wish I could bring him back. I wish I could have said something to him. But I can’t now,” she said.
Bissoon talked about how she and Ramnarine would spend hours at each other’s houses, talking about everything.
“I could go to him for anything. That’s just how he was. He always wanted to talk to people about their problems and try to help them.”
Ramnarine’s Aunt Julie said that her family could not adjust to no longer having him in the house. She said they still call out to him in the house to get things, as if he’s still there — forgetting that he won’t come.
“We can’t stop. I don’t know when this pain that we feel inside will leave. I’m pretty sure not anytime soon,” she said.
The evening ended with a few songs from singers and performers from within the community.
As 12-year-old Victoria Labban sang a version of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” a sea of candle lights rose from the dark park. In a unifying moment of the vigil, families and friends cried and swayed she hit the song’s high notes.
And then, when it was all over, the people blew out their candles, left Smokey Oval Park and walked back home.
Story and photos by Ryan Lavis
