We were robbed of our dreams, says grieving wife

IOL News

01-06-2025

Arvin Ramluckan.
Image: Supplied
FOR a Tongaat woman the pain of losing her husband, Arvin Ramluckan, during the tornado remains while her two young daughters yearn for their father daily.
Arvin, 37, a boilermaker, from Sandfields, died in hospital three days after the tornado hit, on June 6. He suffered extensive head injuries.
At the time, a relative said Arvin's company transport had dropped him off near a shop on Sandfields Road.
He had been walking to his home, a few metres away with a friend when they were caught in the tornado.
The relative said Arvin and his friend held hands and started running to get to another friend's house to seek shelter. However, along the way, they were separated.
He said Arvin was picked up by the tornado and flung against a brick wall, which then collapsed on him.
Arvin was later taken to hospital by paramedics and placed on a ventilator.
Speaking to the POST, Shanel Ramluckan, his wife, said they had hoped he would recover.
'I still remember seeing him lying in his hospital bed. While he was not able to speak or move, I had some hope that he would get through it. But he fought until he couldn't anymore. His tragic passing has been our greatest loss as he was the most loving husband and father. He was also our protector and now we are forced to live without him.'
Ramluckan said the last conversation she had with Arvin was earlier that morning, when he video-called to speak to her and their daughters, now aged six and three.
'He left to work early in the morning, but would always call during his breaks. When he called that morning during his tea break, he only spoke to our youngest daughter as the eldest was still asleep. He said he would call later. I waited for his call at midday when he took his lunch break, but I think they had a meeting and he didn't have time. We never got to speak to him again.'
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Ramluckan said later that afternoon when she opened the door to let her dog out, she was met by the tornado.
'I didn't know there was a tornado approaching. The dog needed to go out, so when I opened the door I was hit by this strong wind. I could hear this loud noise; when I looked outside I saw the roof tiles flying off our relative's home next door. I managed to push the door closed and went to hide in our bedroom.
'After some time, I heard the relative calling out for me and went outside. She was badly injured. Moments after that, Arvin's friend came running into the yard, asking where Arvin was. I knew something was wrong.
'While we were sitting inside, my brother-in-law arrived and said Arvin had been injured, but he was okay and had been taken to hospital. We couldn't leave the area at the time as the roads were blocked. The next morning, my sister and I went to the hospital to see him. He was on a ventilator and not responsive,' she said.
Ramluckan said she went to visit Arvin again on the Thursday.
'We were waiting to see him as we were told he was going to be moved from casualty to a ward. They weren't allowing the girls to go in but said they would be able to see him while he was being moved to the ward.
'The girls were hungry, so we took them to get something to eat at the shop. It wasn't even a few minutes that we were gone when my sister received a call that he had passed away. We rushed back to the hospital. I was in shock. My husband was gone. I still remember when I touched him, his body was still warm," she said.
Ramluckan said her daughters still yearned for him.
'Almost every day my girls are in tears. At times, they are inconsolable that I have to call my sister to come home because I don't know how to comfort them. There are times when the youngest one will say she misses her dad and she wants to go by him. Her sister will tell her that 'daddy died, but he is watching over us'. It breaks my heart as they loved him so much. They were his whole world.'
Ramluckan said she and Arvin had many future plans.
'He always used to say he wanted to have another child - he wanted a son. He also said he wanted to buy a car and renovate our home. But, we have been robbed of those dreams.'
Arvin's one year memorial service was held at his home on Sunday.
THE POST