Community Offers Support to an Active Member
Viren Mayani is no stranger to many in the community. He has been working with numerous Indian-American non-profit organizations such as The Gandhi Foundation of USA, Raksha and the India American Cultural Association (IACA). Viren has always managed to devote time to these organizations even though he kept a hectic schedule, thanks to his professional success, most recently, as C.O.O. at Creative Loafing. As a freelance contributor, Viren has also been a key Khabar correspondent for many years.
On August 2, Viren Mayani was driving home when a teenage driver jumping a red light smashed Viren's car against a moving truck. Viren was severely injured; and suffered broken ribs, vertebrae fracture, neck fracture, two oral fractures, fracture and optic nerve damage in his left eye, right lung collapse, glass splinters in his right eye and right cheek, and other bruises. A team of skilled surgeons at the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital saved Viren's life in what now appears no less than a miracle.
Viren has returned home and is improving by the day. Nevertheless, he has a tough battle ahead of him. Having been a casualty of the dotcom bust, he was already fighting to rebuild his career even before the accident struck a damning blow. Health and career rehabilitation are his major concerns.
Through it all, he feels he is blessed with the love and prayers of his family and friends, and the community. Viren and his wife Rifka have been constantly offering their services pro bono to various organizations. At the time of the tragic accident, Viren was pursuing projects such as rehearsing for his role as "Kaal" (the time narrator) for IACA's upcoming fundraiser "Ramayan The Epic". He was also planning for an innovative project in association with the Gandhi Foundation of USA, Vibha & Raksha for a possible staging in Atlanta in 2005.
These efforts have paid back with the immense community support. Daily visits to the hospital, offers of legal counsel, help in resolving insurance issues?were some of the many gestures that Viren is immensely grateful for. He and his family wish to thank their friends and the community for all the love and well wishes. As he takes slow but confident strides forward, we at Khabar wish him a speedy and complete recovery.
? Mahadev Desai
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