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Nenveh Essa, 21, studied accounting, aspired to direct COLLEGE STUDENT DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT
By Lisa Fernandez
Mercury News
Sept 27, 06
Not only was she their only child, but Nenveh Essa also was her parents' cultural liaison, helping them fill out messy paperwork, understand technology and navigate Silicon Valley life.
Now, her Iraqi-born parents are left with a gaping void after Ms. Essa, 21, was killed in a Milpitas car accident Friday afternoon on her way home from picking up her aunt in Fremont. Her aunt, Jini Essa, broke an arm in the accident.
``It's impossible to tell you how I feel,'' said her mother, Juliet Essa, who came to the United States in the 1970s. ``She was my best friend. My eyes. My life. Why did God take her? I wish he would take me soon, too.''
Milpitas police are investigating what led to Nenveh Essa's death. A 2004 Ford Escape driven by a 20-year-old Milpitas man, who wasn't identified, jumped a median on Abel Street and struck the Ford Escort Ms. Essa was driving about 3:30 p.m. Lt. Tom Borck said the preliminary investigation shows the man was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he has not been arrested. Borck also said the man has cooperated with police.
Ms. Essa borrowed the family car that day and was trying to avoid the busy freeway, deciding to take city streets home to Milpitas, her mother said.
If it were the day before, Ms. Essa would have been at Santa Clara University, her mother said, where she was studying accounting and business -- even though her dream was to work in Hollywood.
``She said accountants make good money,'' Juliet Essa said. ``But she really wanted to be a director. But she said this way, `At least I have another choice.' ''
Nenveh Essa was born in San Jose and grew up in Milpitas. Juliet and Gabriel Essa consider themselves Assyrians from Iraq and are practicing Catholics. Juliet Essa said her father always dreamed of coming to the United States, but didn't achieve that goal before he died.
Nenveh Essa was realizing the family dream. Her mother said she worked hard and earned good grades throughout school, attending Pearl Zanker Elementary School in Milpitas, St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Milpitas in junior high and Notre Dame High School San Jose.
Many of those teachers and friends were visiting the Essa family at their home Tuesday, giving support to relatives, including cousin Elias Pera, 23, who flew in from Chicago and remembered Ms. Essa as a shy girl who grew into young woman who was ``talkative and joking.''
A receptionist who didn't give her name at St. John the Baptist said Ms. Essa was a ``wonderful'' student and that the school community was ``praying'' for her family.
Whenever her parents needed help, especially when it involved navigating the English language, she was there. Juliet Essa works in the cafeteria at Zanker Elementary, and Gabriel Essa was laid off from an electronics company.
``She is the one who take care of us,'' said Juliet Essa, acknowledging that her English is shaky, as Assyrian and Arabic are her first languages. ``Since kindergarten, she has been doing all the homework herself. When I make credit card calls, you know, they have lots of messages, I always push the wrong number.'' Her daughter would always help. ``On my cell phone, I push the wrong buttons. `Mom, you have 17 messages. You have to learn. I can't be with you every minute to fix your telephone.' '' But her daughter never said no.
Even if Nenveh Essa was at the movies with her friends, she'd always put her cell phone on vibrate and answer her mother's calls. On Friday, her mother called and called, terribly worried when her daughter didn't return her messages. She found out the reason why about 8 that night when two men from the coroner's office knocked on her door.
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