The tragic death of 39-year-old Sikeli Nawaqa in Perth, Australia, has plunged his wife and four children back home in Fiji into mourning. Nawaqa died after the vehicle he was driving veered off the road and collided with a tree, according to reports from Australian media.
Nawaqa, a native of Nayawa in Nadroga with family ties to Naceva, Beqa, was traveling with three other Fijian men, all of whom sustained injuries and were airlifted to Perth Hospital shortly after the incident occurred on Sunday evening.
In a state of heartbreak, his wife, 37-year-old Sulueti Naula, expressed her devastation upon hearing the news, emphasizing her concerns for their four children, who she is now solely responsible for. A pastor, who had been staying with them in Perth, visited the hospital for updates and later contacted Naula.
“I instantly knew that it was about my husband,” Naula recounted, reflecting on how she struggled to answer the call from Nawaqa’s boss. “We had just talked on Saturday and were making plans for our son to study abroad.”
Two years ago, Nawaqa applied for overseas employment through the National Employment Centre under the Ministry of Employment and had been making progress in his career. Prior to his passing, he held a supervisor position at Agri Fresh Citrus Farm.
Naula described her husband as a dedicated worker and devoted family man. Meanwhile, his father, Inoke Nawaqa, stated that the family is now focused on arranging the funeral.