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- Published: July 5, 2023 11:42
New Delhi: Tragedy struck when a 42-year-old US-based software engineer of Indian origin, Potti Venkata Rajesh Kumar, drowned while attempting to rescue his children at a beach in Florida.
Hailing from the Addanki mandal in the Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh, Rajesh Kumar was employed with a startup in the US. He lost his life on Sunday at around 4:30 am IST while bravely attempting to save his children from the treacherous waters, according to his younger brother, P Vijay Kumar.
Rajesh Kumar resided at the Bridge 7Water community in Florida with his wife and two children. The incident occurred as the United States geared up to celebrate the long holiday weekend coinciding with July 4th, American Independence Day. Rajesh Kumar, eager to spend time with his family, took them to Jacksonville Beach in Florida.
According to Vijay Kumar, Rajesh noticed that his children had ventured farther into the sea. Reacting swiftly, he rushed to their aid and managed to rescue his son. However, tragedy struck when a massive wave engulfed him, pulling him under. Rajesh was brought back to the shore unconscious and was immediately airlifted to a nearby hospital, accompanied by his family members.
Tragically, Rajesh could not be revived and succumbed to the incident. Meanwhile, his son also experienced complications as water had entered his lungs. Thanks to prompt medical intervention, the boy responded positively to shock treatment and is currently recovering in the intensive care unit.
As the grieving family faces this difficult time, N Chandrababu Naidu, the chief of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, reached out to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging him to facilitate the repatriation of Rajesh Kumar’s body and extend support to the bereaved family. Naidu shared the deceased’s passport number and contact details to expedite the necessary arrangements.
The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) has stepped forward to assist in repatriating Rajesh Kumar’s mortal remains. Local support has also been sought from the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) to bring Rajesh Kumar back to his homeland, where his family and community can bid him a final farewell.
