NABOU CRASH MINIVAN DRIVER
TOMASI BULITAVU LAID TO REST
Please take out my passengers first, don’t worry about me.
Covered in blood and heavily injured, these were the last words of the late Tomasi Bulitavu to firefighters as he sat stuck in the seat of a minibus involved in a threevehicle road accident, which killed seven people at Nabou last Saturday.
Senior Pastor Nemani Bulitavu put on a strong face to deliver the sermon during his 27-year-old son’s funeral service at the Apostolic Life Ministry Church along Denarau Road in Nadi yesterday.
“What he said to those firefighters truly shows his personality and that he is always ready to put others first before himself,” he said. Pastor Bulitavu added that his son was a true servant of God and the manner, in which he had carried out his life helped a lot of people to find their way back to church. “There has been a lot of talk on my son’s death in the media and social media, but only God knows what’s best for Tomasi because none of us sitting here would have known of what happened,” he said. “Even to his last breath, my son was heavily injured stuck in that van, he still thought about the life of his passengers because he knew that the lives of his passengers were his responsibility. Some drivers are fond of leaving passengers and running away during an accident,” he said. The last moments of Tomasi’s life, Pastor Bulitavu added should be a lesson to people that when faced with a storm they should always remain calm.
“We are at peace because we know that our son has gone to be with his maker, even when my wife was crying I told her to be at peace because Tomasi has gone to a better place and trust me if it wasn’t for the God we serve, I would be crying here,” he said.
The late Tomasi is survived by his wife, Losana Bulitavu, one daughter and two sons. He hailed from Malake Village in Saqani, Cakaudrove and had maternal links to the village of Moala in Nadi. Uncle Vuniyani Lumuni described his nephew as a humble and hard working man.
“This is a man who had so much respect for his elders and uncles; he was always there for us when we needed his help without complaining. It is really a great loss for our family, both from his parents’ side,” Mr Lumuni said.
Dr Vereniki Rawalui of Zen Medical Centre said Tomasi worked for them as an ambulance driver for more than two years. “Having him was a blessing and through his work we have seen what it’s like to really have a heart to care for people, as an ambulance driver he would carry out his service well in order to save the lives of others,” Dr Raiwalui said. He was laid to rest at his mother’s village in Moala, Nadi.
There has been a lot of talk on my son’s death in the media and social media, but only God knows what’s best for Tomasi because none of us sitting here would have known of what happened. Nemani Bulitavu The late Tomasi Bulitavu’s father