It was full of emotions Friday, 14th December 2012 at the Ortiz Funeral Home in Bronx, New York as Tony Narh, the Ghanaian who fell victim to Hurricane Sandy was laid to rest.
The 59 year old former soldier was trapped in a car while at post at the Empire Parking Garage on October 30th 2012.
Ghanaians from all over the US, some coming from as far as Pennsylvania converged to pay their last respects to a man who was obviously well known and loved among the tight-knit Ghanaian community in Bronx.
Friends and family also came from Ghana, England and Germany.
Officiating, Rev. Jonathan Appiah enjoined the mourners to live a blameless life so as to be worthy of God’s presence when called to eternity. He praised Mr. Narh who he said was a selfless person.
Reading her tribute, the widow, Beverly Bartels-Narh who had flown in from Ghana to do her final duties to her departed husband recalled how they had met and married some 25 years ago; a union that has produced 3 daughters. She said even though Narh had been living in the US for the past 9 years, he was very close to his family and always did his best to provide for them.
Mr. Narh also received tributes from a Ghanaian club - 167 Members- to which he belonged before his unfortunate demise.
The highlight of the ceremony was a short military drill by his former colleagues in the Ghana Army.
The mourners later moved to Fulton Avenue, Bronx, where a vigil was kept for the departed.
Judging from the sheer number of mourners, the tributes and the sideline chats as well as the long list of persons and businesses that supported the funeral, Mr. Narh indeed must have been a well loved man.
It is still not known if the family is contemplating any legal action against his employers.
