By:Andrew Coen
The Lawrence school district was hit with a double tragedy over the spring break vacation when, on April 8, the father and daughter were killed in a car accident while visiting family in San Salvador, El Salvador, where they lived before emigrating to the U.S.
Becky Duran-Naves spoke in Spanish about her brother and niece during the service, and her words were later translated into English. He was a good son, he was a good husband, he was a good father, he was a good brother, said Duran-Naves when describing Manuel, 47, at the Prince of Peace Pentecostal Church. Whatever the situation was, he was willing to help me out.
Duran-Naves also described her niece. My niece was always happy, always playful, she said. They will always be in my heart.
Manuel-s 12-year-old son, Manuel Jr., a seventh-grader at Lawrence Middle School who survived the crash, wrote a letter about his sister, which was read by Manuel-s brother-in-law, Milton Coban. I can remember nine years ago when my sister was born, the seventh-grader wrote. I remember my father lifting me up to the window and showing me my new sister. I looked and wondered, who is that? What is it? Is it a boy or was it a girl? As time passed, I saw her grow up and I realized I have to protect her. I loved to hug and smother her but I knew that she didn-t like it too much.
She loved to play the violin and that she did but it would annoy me and it would make an eerie sound but I know now that my sister is in a better place and that someday I will see her soon.
Coban also talked about the relationship he had with his 9-year-old niece. I called her Elisa, and there was something about the way she laughed, he said. When she laughed sometimes she wouldn-t stop until everybody was laughing, and that brought joy every time I would see her smile. My last words with her a few weeks ago [were] on the topic of flowers, because I told her that as soon as she got back [from El Salvador] we were going to plant some flowers together.
We planted flowers last year, and this year we were going to do the same, so I-m going to fulfill her wish and I-m going to plant some flowers this year. I-m going to call it Elisa-s Garden.
In a phone interview the day after the memorial service, Coban spoke about his brother-in-law, who became an American citizen a year and a half ago. Manuel was a very quiet-spoken man, said Coban. He was a guy that really loved to travel, and he loved his family.
The tragedy came as a shock to District 15 students and employees when they came back to school after the break, on April 14. There are counseling services for the children, and we-ve been in touch with the family, said Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent Dr. John Fitzsimons.
We-re all saddened by the tragedy that has affected the Naves family, said Lawrence Middle School Principal Dr. Mark Kavarsky.
Both the Number Two School and the middle school have made arrangements to help the students and staff deal with the tragedy.
The son is here at [Lawrence Middle School] but there is as well an extended family of cousins, close friends and associates, so the first thing we did was meet with all of those family members, said Kavarsky. Our school psychologists and guidance counselors were made available, and we met with the children and whatever other significant adults were in the building, such as custodial workers, cleaners and the like to just have an opportunity to talk about the tragedy. We-ve made arrangements so that when the young man does return back to our school in the seventh grade, classmates are going to be prepared to cope with him and the tragedy that he had with his family.
Besides Manuel Jr., the Naveses are also survived by Manuel-s wife, Doris.
Burial took place at Greenfield Cemetery in Hempstead Village on April 19.
In response to the tragedy, Number Two School Principal Dr. Kenneth Forman sent a letter to members of the district to inform them that donations are being accepted for the family to help ease its financial burden. Those interested in contributing should make checks payable to Doris Naves and send them to the Number Two School, Donahue Avenue, Inwood, NY 11096.
