Family won't have funeral without body
17-year-old never came home
Glenda Luymes, The Province
Published: Sunday, June 17, 2007
One year after Gaganpreet Suveen Sandhar disappeared, his clothes still hang in his closet.
His bed is made. His computer stands untouched on his desk.
And his family continues to wait.
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Randeep Sandhar, sister of missing teen Gaganpreet Suveen Sandhar, said her family will wait for him 'if it takes 20 years.'
Jon Murray, The Province
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Font:****"We want him to come home. We want to know what happened," said his sister, Randeep. "It doesn't feel right to act like he's not out there."
Today marks one year since the 17-year-old North Surrey Secondary student was involved in a street-racing accident that damaged his dad's Toyota Corolla.
After the crash, Sandhar met some friends in a restaurant parking lot in Surrey. He stayed until 1:30 a.m. before driving a friend home. Sandhar later called the friend to say he had arrived home himself.
"He called to say I'm here, I'm OK. But he didn't actually go home," said Randeep.
Instead, Sandhar drove the damaged car across the Port Mann bridge, parking it in an industrial area near the Mary Hill Bypass. The car was found three weeks later.
At about 5 a.m., motorists on the Port Mann reported seeing a man matching Sandhar's description walking across the bridge.
No one saw him jump.
"Right away our family came to the conclusion that we wouldn't have a funeral without a body. There's nothing to say he jumped, and we're not going to give up when there's a chance he could come back," said Randeep.
And so, for one year, Sandhar's family has been waiting for him. On his 18th birthday, and again on Christmas, they donated money to a charity instead of buying him gifts.
In his absence, Randeep said her family has grown closer.
"I spend more time with my parents now. When something like this happens, you become a little more grounded. You realize what's important," she said.
Randeep, a nursing student, has started studying in her brother's bedroom. When she talks about him, she inadvertently switches between the past and present tense.
"He was so smart -- really good at math. It's terrible, but he used to help me with my medical calculations," she said.
Sandhar liked playing video and computer games. He enjoyed driving and would have received a car for his graduation.
"He liked to eat -- he could eat anyone under the table," said Randeep.
Although Sandhar wasn't able to write his Grade 12 provincial exams, his grades were good enough for him to graduate. He was planning to attend BCIT.
Randeep said she wants people to remember her brother is still missing.
"He hasn't come home. I want people to put a face and a name on him again and maybe someone knows something . . . Something major happened in his life that night, and we just want to know. We want answers," she said.
Sandhar's family will continue to wait for him "if it takes 20 years," she added. "We're not going to give up without a body, even if that means living with the fact that he's missing."
gluymes@png.canwest.com
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