Lautoka businessman Dhirendra Naicker yesterday mourned the death of a loyal “son and worker.”
Amid the sadness brought about by the tragedy, a beautiful story emerges about Mr Naicker and the late Jonathan Albert.
Mr Albert, 44, died from injuries he sustained when a pallet of goods being lifted by a forklift slipped and fell on him on Wednesday at Veitaru in Lautoka.
Eighteen years ago, Mr Naicker “adopted” Mr Albert, from Cautata, Bau,Tailevu and treated him like his own son. Mr Naicker described it as two different cultures coming together in perfect harmony.
In 2006 Mr Albert got married and the couple lived with the Naickers. He was a casual labourer for the family business, Xclent Transport. The company specialises in the shipment of goods to Vanua Levu and around Viti Levu.
When the marriage collapsed in 2016, the wife walked away but he remained with the Naickers.
The family provided the moral support Mr Albert needed to overcome the emotional trauma he was going through at the time.
Mr Naicker said they saw him as one of them. This reflected in the way they treated him. Mr Albert had his own room in the Naicker’s family home.
He said his family considered the late Mr Albert “as their own son despite coming from different cultural background.
“No one really had any issues with him because everyone got along with him here, but he never got on well with his family members. Even if he went to see them he would come back the same day because he was more used to us.”
Mr Naicker said: “Jo is from Cautata, Nausori and was staying with a mutual friend of mine, so since both my sons are abroad I asked my friend if he knew someone to come stay with us and Jo came and has been with us now for 18 years.
“The last time we spoke to Jo was when he was rushing off to work with his parcel and we could not believe it when we got the call on Wednesday night that he was in hospital,” he said.
Tara Wati said she and her husband Mr Naicker were still coming to terms with the loss of Mr Albert.
“Jo will always be my son and despite having a casual job, he made an effort to contribute to household expenses. He was so special to us that our relatives from overseas brought gifts for him even if his own relatives never bothered to visit him here,” she said
Mr Naicker said the family were awaiting the post mortem results before preparation for the funeral.
A Police statement said: “A 43-year-old casual worker died following an accident at his workplace in Lautoka. The alleged incident occurred at a yard in Veitari in Lautoka at around 7pm on Wednesday night.”
“The victim from Tomuka, Lautoka was standing beside a forklift when a pallet of goods fell on him leaving him unconscious.”
Ms Naisoro said Mr Albert was taken to the Lautoka Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Edited by Susana Tuilau