‘Daughter keeps asking to see him, she does not realise he is not coming home’

THE prosecutor in the case against driver Adeel Khan read out a victim impact statement to Derby Crown Court made by the widow of Vilnis Vancans.

In it his widow wrote: “We came to England to make a new start for our family. He was a good and attentive father who played with his daughters and treated them well.

“It is very difficult to explain (what happened) to our youngest daughter, who was only four at the time. She keeps asking to see him, she does not realise he is not coming home.”

Following the collision, Mr Vancans’ wife, who did not wish to be named, wrote a poem in memory of her late husband.

It reads:

He never thought when leaving home,

He would never more return, That he in death, so soon would sleep,

And leave us here alone.

He was always there when we needed him,

No task too great or small, With loving heart and willing hands, For us he did it all.

We hold him close within our hearts, And there he shall remain,

To walk with us throughout our lives,

Until we meet again.

Days after the incident, a GoFundMe web page also was created to help raise money for Mr Vancans’ family.

A statement on the page said:

“A loving son, brother, father and husband Vilnis Vancans was tragically lost on the eve of 10th of May.

“Vilnis, the main provider for the family, leaves behind a devoted wife and two young daughters aged four and nine. Vilnis touched the hearts of many people by being helpful and kind. He always put others first.”