Farewell Party Will Celebrate Life of International Student Killed in Accident

TAHLEQUAH Students, staff and faculty at Northeastern State University were shocked and saddened by the tragic death of a 21-year-old Japanese sophomore who died Tuesday from injuries sustained in a single car accident late Sunday night that left another student in critical condition.

Yumi Fujisawas warm and friendly smile will be missed, said Mina Kawasaki, NCN advisor who works with Japanese students on the NSU campus. Yumi was spunky and outgoing, and she loved to dance. She had many friends and this is how they will remember her.

A farewell party to celebrate her life will be hosted by Yumis family and friends on Friday, Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. on the sixth floor of the NET building. All who wish to remember her are welcome to attend.

Fujisawa, a business administration major, came to NSU in May 2005, and was making her mark as an outstanding student, according to friends.

Every one of our international students is a blessing and it saddens me to lose someone as precious as Yumi, said Kimbra Scott, NSU Director of International Student Services. This is the time to remember the good things and celebrate her life. She was a remarkable young lady, and if she touched your life, you knew it.

According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports, Fujisawa was a passenger in a car that left the roadway one mile south of Locust Grove on State Highway 82 about 11 p.m. Sunday. Fujisawa and another student, Yuma Kikuta, 19, were both ejected from the rolling car. They were transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa with head and internal injuries. Kikuta remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The driver, Hiroko Kurita, 21, along with two other passengers, also NSU students, were treated at an area hospital and released. The group was returning from a sporting event in Edmond when the accident occurred.

Members of the campus community, including many of the 160 Japanese students attending NSU, gathered in the NET Auditorium on Wednesday evening for a vigil hosted by NCN, the recruiting organization that brings students from Japan to pursue educational goals in the U.S. Together with staff from the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Housing and Residence Life, NCN is providing support resources for grieving friends of Fujisawa and updates on Kukitas condition.

To help in the days ahead, Sheila Self, Student Affairs Counselor, is offering grief counseling for students as needed during the long process of dealing with the death of a friend. Meeting areas in residential dorms have been sectioned off for students looking for a place to convene and visit privately, according to Todd Hefner, Director of Housing and Residential Life.

The entire campus community has united to offer support and friendship during this difficult time, according to NSU Acting President Kim Cherry.

As with the death of any student, the campus community is deeply saddened and our hearts go out to those who are suffering the loss of a loved one, said Cherry. In the case of our Japanese students, we are particularly sensitive to the fact that families and friends often live far away. We are so fortunate to have this wonderful group of students on our campus and we are prepared to do everything possible to provide a comforting and supportive environment during this very sad time.