Please help Surya’s family

Nineteen-year-old Surya died in a motorbike accident in Chennai, India, on 17th January. He was the sole hope for his mother Kamatchi, whose life is already under privileged and difficult. She now also has the tragic death to contend with.

Kamatchi had an abusive alcoholic ex-husband who never contributed to the house upkeep. However, as she was determined to do the best for her children - Surya and Sangeetha - she began working as a domestic helper in order to earn money to raise and educate them. It was in this capacity that she met my grandmother.

Surya was soft-spoken and creative, and Kamatchi was very proud of him and hopeful he would do well in life. When he had time off from school or his other work, he helped my grandmother maintain her garden. The flowers in the above image are a memory of his help.

Recently, Surya had been working as an AC technician and provided the main source of income for his family. He had wanted a motorbike for years, as all his friends had one. Kamatchi was hesitant at first, but when she saw how desperately her son wanted this, she took out a loan to purchase one last year. Little did she know then that this was the way that Surya’s life would end.

Now with Surya gone, Kamatchi’s life is full of grief, despair, and financial uncertainty. As well as the funeral costs, they are also left with the repayment costs on Surya’s bike, and uncertainty on how they will manage their day-to-day living expenses without Surya’s income.