At 1 am last Sunday, Parmis Hajimaneshi was awoken by a knock at the door, thinking her brother had finally come home. Instead, police arrived to deliver the devastating news that her 21-year-old brother, Radin Hajimaneshi, died in a crash.
When describing how she learned about the tragic news, Parmis said that when she walked out of her room to see who was at the front door of her home, she saw four police officers and her dad screaming.
“I just knew at that moment something was wrong,” she said. “[The officers] looked up and they were like, ‘I’m so sorry,’ and I just broke down crying.”
Photo of Radin Hajimaneshi (Submitted)
According to North Vancouver RCMP, at around 10 pm on Saturday, June 22, police were called to Low Level Road for a serious single-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle.
“Several motorists reported witnessing a rider travelling eastbound along Low Level Road at an excessive speed before ultimately losing control of the vehicle and hitting a concrete retaining wall.”
RCMP confirmed a male North Vancouver resident in his 20s was driving and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Parmis said that while police initially said speed was a factor in the crash, they later told her footage suggested, “They don’t think it was speed.”
“They think it might have been a mechanical issue,” she said. North Vancouver RCMP were not able to comment further on the investigation.
Photo of Radin Hajimaneshi (Submitted)
After friends and family learned of Radin’s passing, Parmis said she’s since learned so much about the kind acts her brother never admitted to.
“They’ve always said something that my brother has done for them… and all these things that my brother has never said to me and my family. He just did that, out of the kindness of his heart and because of the person he was.”
Parmis describes the 21-year-old as kind, respectful and “an angel in disguise.”
“He just knew how to make everyone happy. Somehow… he could put a smile on anyone’s face if he could,” she said.
“My brother was really special.”
Ali Riyasat and Aryen Soltani, two longtime friends of Radin, similarly described the young man.
“He was the most genuine person you’ll ever meet,” Riyasat said. “He always cared about everyone. He’s always making new friends everywhere he’s going. No one has anything bad to say about him.”
Soltani added that his energetic friend especially had a love for exploring, nature and photography.
Photo of Radin Hajimaneshi and his friends (Submitted)
Aside from missing his presence, happiness, positivity and characteristics that people around Radin would admire, his friends and sister emphasized his drive to take care of his family.
Parmis said her little brother worked two jobs intending to allow his parents to be financially free.
“Out of all of our friends in our friend group, I would say he was the most motivated. He was most driven. He’d never complain about anything,” Riyasat said. “It just also motivated us in our own lives to work as hard as him and be as humble and grateful for our opportunities here and our family and friends that we have.”
Photo of Radin Hajimaneshi and his family (Submitted)
Soltani has set up a GoFundMe to raise money to help his parents during this tragic time and contribute to his funeral costs.
“Obviously, my family is devastated because it was such a shock,” Parmis said. “We did not expect this. Every day, we wake up thinking he’s gonna come home and that [police] got the wrong person… It’s really quiet in our household now.”
While Radin’s friends and sister said they know he is still with them in spirit, Riyasat added, “What I miss most about him is just him being here.”