Thursday September 18, 12:00pm:
The O’Reilly & Daly Chemist in Railway Parade, Kogarah, reopened today (Wednesday) after a 4WD smashed through its front window on Monday, killing Kogarah High School student Aneri Patel, 16, and injuring two people.
Owner Joseph Allam said it was an absolute tragedy with staff still shaken up.
‘‘It’s been very stressful, an absolute tragedy,’’ he said.
‘‘We want to extend our sincere sympathy to the family of Aneri.’’
Long-term employee Sue Ferguson, 51, was one of the two injured.
Debris had hit her; she is in a stable condition at St George Hospital.
‘‘Everyone loves Sue,’’ Mr Allam said.’’
‘‘We love and miss her and hope she makes a speedy recovery.’’
Workers are still assessing shop damage but Mr Allam hopes the glass windows would be replaced on Saturday.
‘‘We’re still looking at the damage, we don’t even know what stock was taken,’’ he said.
‘‘We thank the whole Kogarah community for their support.’’
1pm:
The parents of Aneri Patel have visited the site where their daughter was killed Monday morning.
While they were too distraught to speak, a family spokesman said they were overcome.
‘‘She was so beautiful, she had a very bright future,’’ he said.
‘‘Our whole community is shocked.
‘‘It happened seven years ago and it's happened again.’’
Another family friend said the family would meet Kogarah Council over the incident.
‘‘We can't believe the pain they are going through,’’ he said
‘‘They should prevent what happened there, this is the second time it’s happened.’’
Earlier Tuesday:
Huddled together with their hands clasped, Kogarah High School students sang Eric Clapton’s Tears In Heaven in memory of their friend Aneri Patel who died Monday morning in Kogarah CBD.
More than 50 students and their teachers from the nearby school walked to the accident site Tuesday morning and watched silently as people laid flowers and lit candles.
There were plenty of laughs — and some tears — as classmates remembered their funny and bright friend.
One student said it was hard to believe that their friend was really gone after only sitting her exam earlier in the morning.
‘‘She was quiet but a great friend,’’ she said.
Parents at Kogarah High were informed of the student’s death via a text message on Monday night.
Deputy principal Ross Tindale said in the message that counselling would be available to students.
Did you know Aneri Patel? Pay your tribute to her below.