AMIR OVAYSI, SARA HAMZEEI AND THEIR DAUGHTER, ASAL OVAYSI

Amir Ovaysi was due back at work Thursday at a Mississauga, Ont., heating and air conditioning company after his first visit back to Iran since immigrating to Canada a few years ago. “His office now sits empty as we all mourn the loss,” said Perry Lam, a friend and colleague.

Ovaysi, 42, was returning to Canada with his wife, Sara Hamzeei, 34, and their sixyear-old daughter, Asal. The family lived in Newmarket, Ont.

Ovaysi left his car with Lam to look after while he was away. When Lam heard of the crash, he nervously went to the car’s glove box to confirm Ovaysi and his family’s full names. With shaking hands, he confirmed they all matched the passenger manifest of the dead.

Also in the glove box, Lam said, were three pairs of 3D movie glasses, two for adults and one for a child. It was an emotional reminder of the family’s closeness, he said. Ovaysi often spoke of his wife and daughter and frequently showed off their photos.

“He was a really kindhearted family man,” Lam said. “This is a friendly office and everyone says hello, but he would come over each morning to shake your hand.”

Hamzeei and Asal had travelled to Iran earlier to visit family, including their parents, and Ovaysi told colleagues at the staff Christmas party how excited he was to join them. Lam said Ovaysi loved Canada and Iran. He would speak warmly of his homeland’s culture, food and people, but was also proud to be in Canada and wanted to also revel in Canadian culture as well.