Neori Vuidreketi Makoto has one heartfelt wish: for his younger brother, Semi Lete Makoto, to return home to his family.
Semi Makoto, aged 24, sadly passed away in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Aspen Hospital in Lautoka following an accident last week.
Semi was an employee at Burger King in Martintar, Nadi. He was involved in an accident while riding his bike from his home in Malolo, Nadi, to work when he was struck by a bus near his workplace.
Police spokesperson Wame Bautolu confirmed that the police were investigating the incident.
A witness, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed the bus was traveling at high speed when it hit Semi. “The man was not wearing a helmet. He must have sustained a serious head injury just by the distance to where he was hit and the place he had landed,” the witness observed.
Upon hearing the news of his brother’s hospitalization, Mr. Makoto initially believed Semi had only sustained minor injuries. “But when I arrived at the hospital, I was shocked to see his condition. He was in a coma. Throughout last week, I kept visiting the ICU, hoping he would open his eyes, and we could talk again,” he recounted.
“The doctors kept us informed about his condition until they declared he was brain dead. Last week, we were told to come and say our last goodbyes to him,” he added.
“All I wish for is for him to recover and take care of his small family. He has a one-year-old child.”
Mr. Makoto mentioned that his brother had been saving money with dreams of buying land and farming. Semi was the youngest of three siblings and was described as a hardworking individual.
“He was a very quiet person. He didn’t speak much, but the work he did spoke volumes about him. He was a hardworking person. We were very close. I miss my brother,” he shared.