Teenager Ishaan Prasad, right, is a regular worker at his parents' dairy in Napier. Photo / Supplied
Teenager Ishaan Prasad, right, is a regular worker at his parents' dairy in Napier. Photo / Supplied
The Hawke's Bay community is rallying around the well-known family of a Napier teenager injured in a train accident.
Ishaan Prasad, described as a "polite, respectful, considerate and well-mannered young man", was injured when hit by a train while on his way to school in Napier last Thursday.
A Givealittle page was set-up on Tuesday night with the family's consent by family friend Anna Curtis, whose children play sport and go to school with the couple's children. It had already received $7000 in donations by Wednesday morning.
Injured boy's parents Sanjesh and Irene Prasad own Bluff Hill corner store the Shakespeare Dairy, which Curtis says is "fondly" known as "Ishaan's Dairy".
The Prasad family, including father Sanjesh, left, Ishaan, little sister Iresa, mother Irene and older sister Ashley, face an uncertain time as Ishaan is treated in hospital. Photo / Supplied
The 16-year-old, brother of sisters Ashley, 17, and Iresa, 8, was hit by the train just before 8.30am last Thursday on Napier's Ellison Rd (State Highway 51) crossing, just off the southern end of Marine Parade and less than 1km from his school – Napier Boys' High.
Curtis said Ishaan's future was very much in the balance, and his parents are spending every minute of their time by Ishaan's side.
"The dairy still needs to operate and the family cared for," Curtis said.
"Ashley is doing a great job, with the help of family keeping the shop running."
Mr Prasad also works a second full-time job and the couple's "hard work rubs off on the children", Curtis continued.
The scene of the collision between a cyclist and a train at the intersection of State Highway 51 (Marine Parade) and Ellison St. Photo / Warren Buckland
"Ishaan is often helping out doing jobs around the shop and all the children work in the dairy," she said.
"Ishaan is one of the most polite, respectful, considerate and well-mannered young men, talented at sport and well regarded by his peers.
"They are a lovely, hard-working family and have to keep the wheels turning while dealing with the shock and aftermath of Ishaan's major accident," she said.
"They are well known in our small community, their dairy is fondly known by mine and other families as 'Ishaan's Dairy'.
"Our community has been rocked by this horrific accident, with an unknown outcome.
''Many have been asking what they can do to help - nothing can help more, than easing financial pressure.
"This page is to help raise funds for the Prasads to assist with the costs of keeping things running, while they take time off work to assist in Ishaan's massive fight.
"Anything is appreciated, please feel free to share far and wide to help this lovely family out - your donation means a lot."
The boy was on Tuesday reported to be in a serious condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital, in Hastings, as both police and train operators KiwiRail continued investigations.
The recently upgraded crossing is protected by half-arm lowering barriers, flashing lights and bells.
A KiwiRail spokesperson told Hawke's Bay Today its monitoring system and testing after the incident confirmed the crossing alarms were functioning correctly and activated at the time of the collision.
