Worli resident Luis Fernandes' son Melvin Fernandes (37) allegedly committed suicide in Virginia, US, on August 15, apparently following some personal issues.
Luis, after getting the news of Melvin's demise, had a double whammy as not only his family's sole bread winner ended his life, but the distraught father could not afford the expenses to bring his son's mortal remains back home from America.
"Melvin's friend Rakesh, who worked with him in the US, launched an online plea to collect money from people across the world and managed to generate over USD 30,036 (nearly Rs 20 lakh), donated by more than 500 people, in three days. Now my uncle (Luis), who is a retired driver, will be able to get his son's body back to Mumbai," Melvin's cousin Rohan Fernandes said.
"As of now formalities are in the last leg to dispatch the body. It takes around three to four days to transfer the fund generated through crowd funding which will be over by today or tomorrow. We are expecting the body to arrive here by Sunday," Rohan said while expressing gratitude towards all their friends and others who stepped-in to help.
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About 20 per cent of the total money collected came from absolute strangers from the US, UK, Australia and parts of Asia, said Rohan, who works with a bank here.
"How could he take such a drastic step and end his life by hanging himself is still shattering us," said Rohan.
Melvin had recently got married and his wife, who is currently in Mumbai, had visited him in the US earlier this month, he added.