It’s been quite a long time since I’ve been so saddened by a death as that of Raghav Shrestha, the 12-year-old Sartell boy who died following a bicycle crash in the city.
The story came to me in bits and pieces last week over a three-day period in the form of three written-from-the-heart news releases by Sartell Police Chief/Public Safety Officer Brandon Silgjord.
On late Oct. 6, I learned Raghav was riding his bicycle with a 10-year-old buddy, who was riding his own bike. On a beautiful bright fall afternoon Sunday, Oct. 5, they were coasting down the hilly street next to Northside Park. Somehow Raghav’s bike skidded or slipped, sending him crashing to the street. Despite his safety helmet, his head hit the road so hard the force apparently caused Raghav’s heart to stop.
His young friend, terrified and devastated, called 911, but he didn’t know how to describe where they were. Fortunately, an area resident, who happened to know cardiopulmonary resuscitation rushed over to the scene and began CPR. Soon, police and an ambulance arrived, as well as many more concerned nearby residents who helped comfort the 10-year-old buddy.
Raghav, a student in Sartell Middle School, was rushed to the hospital, then flown to Hennepin County Medical Center. His parents, frantic with fear, rushed off to Minneapolis to be at their son’s bedside. I then learned Raghav has a younger brother. Later, I saw a sad website photo of Raghav in a hospital bed. He was intubated, apparently unconscious.
“Oh, how I hope he makes it through!” I kept thinking to myself throughout the next two days.
In his news release, Chief Silgjord described the boy this way: “Raghav was a cheerful and fun-loving 12-year-old, doing what so many 12-year-old boys would be doing on a beautiful fall afternoon, which makes this tragedy so difficult to comprehend.”
Later, a second press release gave more details that made me cautiously optimistic that – yes! – with such intensive medical care he will probably survive.
Three days after the accident, I noticed in my email box a third Silgjord press release. I braced myself, fearing the worst, afraid to open it. I clicked on it. The first words that leaped out from the message were “our hearts are broken.” Instantly I knew as my eyes became misty with tears. “Oh no!”
A medical team had determined there was no brain activity and so with the family’s sorrowful consent, Raghav was taken off life support that afternoon, three days after the accident.
Silgjord noted this: “His parents while grieving the loss of their son, also wanted it known that more than anything they are proud to be Raghav’s parents and to have raised and known a boy who was always courageous in his words and actions choosing to never cause harm to people and animals alike and taking the most pride in his role as a big brother.”
While reading the following paragraph, tears blurred my vision: “We learned today Raghav’s dream was always to become a police officer when he grew up. Several of us involved in the incident were able to visit Raghav this morning, and in the presence of his family pin him with his own badge and swear him in as an honorary police officer with Sartell.”
People I’ve talked with – those who didn’t even know Raghav and his family – felt heartbroken by his loss. They also felt grateful about the way Chief Silgjord, the police staff, firefighters, first responders, school officials and residents all pulled together with hands-on help and compassion after that terrible tragedy. All those people want Raghav’s family to know that they, too, are grieving the awful loss. (For more on that subject, see School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Rivard’s column in today’s newspaper. Its headline is “Tragic loss of student brings all of us together.”)
As of today, Oct. 9, more than 400 people have contributed to a fundraiser that has been established for the Shrestha family. To donate, visit tinyurl.com/supportraghavshrestha.