A 29-year-old man died after being hit by a Marysville school bus on I-5 last week, leading to a community-wide effort to return his remains to home country of Senegal for burial.
The Washington State Patrol reported that Abdou Ndaw’s car had come to a stop in the northbound HOV lane when the bus hit him, though investigators have not yet determined why.
No children were on the school bus when the crash occurred.
The Marysville School District released a statement offering heartfelt condolences to Ndaw’s family and everyone affected by the tragedy.
Pa Ousman Joof, the executive director of the Washington West Africa Center, described Ndaw as a dedicated and energetic member of the local community.
“He’s young, energetic, disciplined, hardworking,” Joof said, noting that Ndaw worked two jobs, including a position at an Amazon warehouse and another as a security guard, specifically to send money back to his family in Senegal.
Alieu Jallow, a family friend, said Ndaw had overcome significant challenges to establish a life in the United States.
“He got here with all the trouble and trauma, and difficulty. Now that he’s almost settling down, tragedy came through. So that is the saddest part,” Jallow said.
Because of the sudden nature of the death, the community has turned its focus toward managing the logistics of international repatriation.
Fundraising efforts have surpassed $24,000 to assist with the costs of a proper burial.
Joof said the organizers are appreciative of the community response during the crisis.
“We are very thankful, not only for the financial support, but even the moral support that we are receiving across the board,” Joof said.
Jallow said the process has been lengthy and challenging, with significant paperwork involving the medical examiner, the funeral home and the coroner’s office.
“We are focused on wanting to raise money, take care of all the obstacles, hurdles, and challenges in our way. It’s so challenging. It’s hard,” Joof said.
Washington West Africa Center is currently waiting for official documentation to finalize travel arrangements, as a death certificate is required before a plane ticket can be purchased for the body to travel to Africa.
Organizers hope to receive the certificate within the next day and plan to have Ndaw buried in Senegal by this weekend.
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