The family of Sandor Tarkanyi was planning a surprise party for his 65th birthday later this month in Oshawa, Ont., when they learned of his untimely death on a southern New Mexico freeway.
“We just set it up this weekend on Facebook and he’s never had a surprise party,” his daughter Anita Abramo told Global News.
“We thought it would be so much fun and great and we got everybody gathered together and we were planning a cake — and now we’re planning a funeral.”
New Mexico State Police said 64-year-old Tarkanyi was pronounced dead at the scene after a collision with a vehicle around 4:30 a.m. Monday.
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Police said a vehicle driven by Tarkanyi was disabled after striking a concrete barrier at a construction zone on Interstate 10 east of Deming.
Tarkanyi then got out of the vehicle and police said he was struck in the roadway by another vehicle and suffered fatal injuries.
The name of the other driver was not released and police did not say if that person would be facing any charges in connection with the collision.
“I tried to call him yesterday morning and he didn’t answer the phone,” his wife Szilvia Tarkanyi told Global News, adding that police called her Monday to inform her of his death.
“My whole body was just in shock right away.”
Tarkanyi said she and her family were now struggling with the financial burden of funeral costs and returning Sandor’s body to Oshawa.
“I do want to bring him back yes I do, because he belongs over here with the family,” Szilvia said, adding that the only other option was to have his body cremated in New Mexico.
“I don’t want to do that, cremating him down there alone without the family. So, we’re trying to get some money together.”
Sandor’s daughters have reached out to the public for help and started an online fundraising campaign to pay for the rising costs.
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“We’re just not going to have enough to cover the cost of him coming home … which is what he really deserves,” Abramo said.
“He was like the glue in the family. He was such an amazing man and you know, he was just a few hours away from his destination when this happened and we’re completely shocked. We never thought it would be his last trip.”
Szilvia said Sandor was in New Mexico for business and was dropping off a package at the time of his death.
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“Even when I told him not to, ‘Why don’t you just fly it down over there?’ But no he was just a hard worker and he just wants to do everything on his own. And then he just did it,” she said.
“Very sad. Heartbroken. Shocked. Like there is no word for that, how we feel. It’s just terrible. It’s just absolutely terrible.”
Abramo said Sandor was “very modest’ and would not have wanted to make a “big deal” out of arrangements for his funeral.
“We’re going to miss him so much,” she said. “But we have to get him home, he has to be with us so that’s why we set up a fundraiser.”
With files from Peder Myhr, Jasmine Pazzano and The Associated Press
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