WATCH: Staff at the Sizzling Tandoor restaurant are raising money for the family of one of their chefs, struck by an SUV while walking to work Wednesday. April Lawrence reports.
Staff at the Sizzling Tandoor restaurant are missing one of their own this week.
“The atmosphere has been really gloomy to be honest,” said Manager Kirn Bawa.
Thirty-one-year-old Khushal Rana, who works as a chef, is fighting for his life in intensive care after he was hit by an SUV on Gorge Road West Wednesday.
“It was very shocking and heartbreaking news,” said Sizzling Tandoor owner Gurinder Bawa.
Rana was walking to work just before noon when a suburban, driven by a 25-year-old woman, left the road, striking him from behind on the sidewalk before coming to rest in Gorge Park.
He remained in a coma Friday and had to have one of his legs amputated.
His wife Meena-Devi, who is pregnant with twins, and their four-year-old son Ankhush, are still trying to comprehend what happened.
“He knows his dad’s hurt, he doesn’t fully understand everything quite yet, probably for the best,” said Kirn.
Rana had spent that Wednesday morning celebrating Ankhush’s birthday.
“They were just having a little bit of family time, just like christmas morning, you get up and kind of have a meal together, have some cake,” said Kirn.
She says Rana was always putting his family first.
He moved with his wife and son to Canada from India less than a year ago, working in Surrey for a few months before moving to Victoria in August.
“He just decided you know Victoria is a little better to raise his family,” said Kirn.
Although staff at the Sizzling Tandoor have only known Rana for a few months, they say he is part of their family.
“We are not going to leave their family at any cost, so we treat them like our own family,” said Rana’s friend and fellow chef Abhlash Muppuri.
And so the restaurant staff started a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise as much as they can to help the family not just right now, but for the challenging years ahead.
“Our goal is to make their family comfortable because money always comes and goes but provide somebody a good life that’ll be awesome,” said Gurinder.
Saanich Police are still investigating what caused Wednesday’s crash.
You can find a link to GoFundMe campaign here
The Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple at 1210 Topaz Ave in Victoria is also accepting donations on behalf of the family.
April Lawrence
