The survivor of a fatal crash on the 401 Freeway has spoken out for the first time

Last week, a survivor of a fatal crash on the 401 freeway that killed three members of his family spoke publicly for the first time.

The deep grief of the survivor

Gokulnath Manivenan, 33, the sole survivor of the accident along with his wife Ashvita Javaher, 27, shared details of the heartbreaking incident that killed their three-month-old son, their parents. This is according to a statement provided to CBC News by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) on Sunday.

"We are not fully able to describe the pain and emptiness that exists in our hearts," Manivenan wrote. This pain comes from knowing that we will never again be able to hold our child Aditya Vivan, who gave us so many precious moments in such a short span of time."

He added: "His small toys and clothes are still scattered in our house and we don't even dare to enter the house that is full of memories of our only son."

According to him, his parents had arrived from Chennai, India, two days before the accident. The Consulate General of India last week confirmed the identity of the grandparents and said it would assist the remaining family members "in whatever way possible".

"My father, who had just retired at the age of 60, was very happy to have the opportunity to spend time with his grandson," she wrote. He affectionately referred to this period as 'the year of having fun with grandparents'."

"My mother, 55, looked forward to every moment with her son and grandson and planned to make their stay around their grandson."

A request for solitude to spend the recovery period

The couple, who live in Ajax, Ont., want space to "heal in solitude," adding that they have confirmed funerals in Markham and Toronto this week.

"The pain of my own injuries pales in comparison to the shock and loss of my parents and only son that night, and the ordeal continues with my wife's ongoing suffering from surgeries and frequent flashbacks of that tragic event," Manivenan said.

"This bitter event, with deep sadness, has left an indelible mark on our lives. As we begin the difficult journey of planning to say goodbye to our loved ones, we express our deepest gratitude to the community that has kept our family in their thoughts."

The incident followed a wrong police chase

The fatal encounter Monday followed a police chase that began with an alleged robbery at a liquor store in Bowmanville, Ontario, in the Clarington Regional Municipality. Police chased the suspect as he drove the wrong way on Highway 401 in Whitby, about 50 kilometers east of Toronto.

That pursuit ended in a fatal crash involving at least six vehicles, according to the SIU. The robbery suspect, a 21-year-old man, was also killed. A 38-year-old man, who was also in the suspect's U-Haul van, was hospitalized with serious injuries, the SIU said Thursday.

Investigating the deadly chase

The crash raised questions about why police officers pursued the suspect as he sped into the opposite direction on the nation's busiest highway.



news source