Bus victim's father: Surviving war easier than surviving grief

Zane Fulljames (L) meets Leonida Gashi's family. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

The father of Leonida Gashi, killed in a bus accident on Friday night, says his family survived a war but will struggle to survive their grief.

Bashkim Gashi, who arrived in New Zealand with his family of five from Kosovo in 2000, made the comments to NZ Bus representatives who visited their home in Onehunga last night.

Leonida Gashi, 18, died in Auckland City Hospital after being hit by a bus as she left the Lantern Festival in Albert Park. Miss Gashi had tripped before the accident and was dragged 400m by the Metrolink bus.

Surrounded by black-clad members of the local Albanian community crowded into the family's flat, Mr Gashi said he "had done everything to ensure Leonida lived a healthy, happy life. We survived a war in Kosovo. We never, ever imagined something like this could happen."

Mr Gashi challenged the company on why it had not contacted him immediately after the accident.

Zane Fulljames, general manager (northern region) of NZ Bus which owns Metrolink, said the company "did not feel it was appropriate to interfere with the family's grief. We express our deepest sympathies to the family".

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Beck Vass