Video: Family, Community Gather to Mourn Hadessa and Solaiman Nuri

CONCORD, Calif. — Stoorai Nuri was waiting Saturday morning for her husband and two daughters to come wheeling back on their bikes from the park. They never arrived.

"My sister was home waiting for them to come back from the park," said Helen Karzai, Stoorai's sister. "... we just ask that everyone mentions us in prayer and that God be with us."

Patch interviewed Helen Karzai at a Sunday night candlelight vigil where close to 200 friends, family and members of the community gathered to pay respects and offer prayer for the victims of in Concord.

Stoorai Nuri, the mother and widow of the family from Afghanistan, briefly appeared at the flower-covered memorial scene where just a day earlier her 9-year-old daughter and husband were struck and killed by a reportedly out-of-control SUV. The victims, Solaiman Nuri, 41, Hadessa Nuri, 9, and 12-year-old daughter Hannah Nuri, who survived the accident, were riding their bicycles on the way home from a morning spent at the park, said Ehsan Nuri, Solaiman's brother.

"I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming out here and sharing this moment with us," said Ehsan before addressing those gathered Sunday evening. "We really appreciate it."

The 17-year-old driver of the 2002 white Cadillac Escalade was arrested on a charge of vehicular manslaughter and brought to Juvenile Hall in Martinez, police reported.

"The Concord Police and John Muir Walnut Creek have been so helpful to our family with understanding everything," said Karzai. "We're extremely grateful for their support through all this."

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