18-year-old Leonida Gashi died after being dragged by a bus for almost half a kilometre. Photo / Supplied
Leonida Gashi was looking forward to starting her course on cartoon animation later this year, and her dream was to one day work in a Peter Jackson production.
But this was not to be for the young Albanian. The Onehunga High School old girl lost her life after
she was hit by a bus following a visit to the Lantern Festival in Albert Park, central Auckland, on Friday night.
Leonida, who was 18, was dragged for nearly 400m after she tripped in front of the Metrolink bus on Wellesley St, as crowds were leaving the Chinese New Year festival.
She died in Auckland City Hospital about 5 o'clock on Saturday morning. Last night, family members said they were still deciding whether to bury her here or take her body back to Kosovo.
Leonida moved here with her parents and two elder brothers as refugees in 2000 when she was 9.
Her father, Bashkim Gashi, was visibly upset when the Herald visited the family home in Onehunga last night. He said he was "extremely angry" with the bus company and is demanding an apology and an explanation.
"After killing my daughter, no one from the bus company even bothered to come to our home, or even phone us to say sorry or explain what happened," Mr Gashi said.
"Nothing can bring back my daughter, but I just want to know what exactly happened to her."
Mr Gashi said the family were still deciding whether to bury Leonida here or take her body back to Kosovo.
Brother Ardian Goshi, 20, said: "We will really miss our baby sister, and still cannot believe she is gone."
In a statement, Zane Fulljames, general manager Northern Region NZ Bus said: "This is a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family of the young woman. The bus driver, upon becoming aware of the accident, called control who acted immediately to contact emergency services."
Mr Fulljames said Metrolink was co-operating fully with police.
