The family of Indian man Murali Avala reached out to the American community from his hospital bed after tragedy struck while traveling to White Sands National Park in New Mexico. A pickup truck ran over her brother Purna Gopi Avala, a national serviceman who had been living in the United States for ten years. Murali and their parents were seriously injured, while Purna could not be rescued.The two brothers were changing seats for drivers when the accident occurred. Their car was parked in the emergency lane with its hazard lights on. The pickup truck struck the car, killing Purner.“Purner came to the United States in 2015 and endured a decade of tremendous sacrifice and struggle. He was very diligent and was finally able to support our entire family financially. Our parents had just arrived from India three weeks ago and we were actively planning our wedding in Purna. In an instant, all our dreams were shattered. Purna was our only financial provider,” his brother wrote.Their father was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque with a broken neck, broken ribs and severe facial injuries. He said his mother suffered a broken hand and facial fractures, and Murali, who had just completed a master’s degree, underwent surgery for severe bleeding between his vertebrae.“After Purna’s passing, our family faces a financial burden we cannot overcome alone. Your donation will go directly toward emergency medical airlift, major surgery, intensive care and Purna’s funeral costs,” he wrote in a fundraiser asking for help from the community.The family set a goal of raising $100,000 and had raised $40,400 as of Tuesday.
