Colleagues Stunned At Dr.'s Death In Nepal
MIAMI (CBS4) – Doctors and colleagues at the University of Miami Hospital were still in a state of shock Monday after learning the chief of vascular surgery, Dr. Jagajan Karmacharya, was killed in a plane crash near Kathmandu, Nepal.
"It was huge loss. He was an incredible educator. He was a skilled surgeon. There are no words to describe such a loss," said Dr. Lee Goldstein, a friend of Dr. Karmacharya. "I've been in a fog ever since hearing about this."
Karmacharya was originally from Nepal but lived and worked in Miami. Two of his relatives were also among the 18 killed in the crash, as well as a friend from South Florida, Natalie Neilan.
"This was a tragedy. It is difficult to comprehend," said Dr. Omaida Velazquez. "I'm trying to process this better. He had a live well lived. He leaves behind many patients who were very grateful."
The flight was a short trip designed to give them a glimpse of Mt Everest. Flying was Karmacharya's first love.
"That was one of his passions. If he didn't become a surgeon he used to want to be a pilot," said Dr. Karen Nishida, an ex-fiancé of Karmacharya. "His dad said to him, why do you want to be a pilot? That's like being a glorified bus driver. Why don't you be a physician?"
Dr. Kamarcharya will be remembered by his colleagues as an innovator at the UM School of Medicine, at JMH, and at the VA hospital.
"His continued work has lead to a vascular surgery fellowship that he is directly responsible for and for that we are eternally grateful," Dr. Goldstein said.
"His energy is what we remember and his ideas and how he was devoted," said Dr. Velazquez. "He was caring and compassionate."
It's not clear if Karmacharya suffered in the end... the mangled wreckage littered the dense brush in Nepal. One person who survived the crash of the Buddha Air Beech aircraft, a 36-year old Nepali man, died shortly afterward at the hospital.
According to investigators, the aircraft was returning from its trip to the Mt. Everest region when it crashed while returning to the capital city.
Initial reports indicate bad weather and poor visibility may have led to the crash. The black box of the aircraft has been recovered.
Dr. Nishida said Karmacharya found a certain sense of irony in the doctor being on Air Buddha at the time of the crash.
"It's ironic that he was on Air Buddha," Dr. Nishida said. "He was a human Buddha. He made everyone know that he understood their pain. He was such a loving, caring person."
Buddha Air has had one of the safest flying records in Nepal, this being the first major mishap in almost 14 years.
Slideshow: Bodies Recovered From Plane Crash In Nepal
The University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine is planning a memorial service for Dr. Karmaharya next week. The school is also looking into setting up a fund for surgical education in his honor.
