Kushalnagar: In a poignant gesture following the tragedy at the Dubare Elephant Camp, the eyes of S. Juneshe, the Chennai tourist who died after being caught in a clash between two elephants, were donated for transplantation.
Despite the grief of losing his wife, her husband Joel Simon Franklin consented to donate her eyes to Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). Following the post-mortem, Juneshe’s corneas were retrieved, giving others the gift of sight.
Joel’s decision, taken in the midst of personal tragedy, has drawn praise as an act of compassion and social responsibility. Recalling the incident, Joel told reporters that he, his wife and their daughter had entered the river to spend time near the elephants when the fight suddenly broke out.
“While my daughter and I somehow managed to escape, Juneshe got trapped beneath the fallen elephant. There was no emergency medical vehicle or even basic first-aid facility there,” he said.
“We had purchased tickets costing Rs. 300 each to watch the jumbos being bathed and were taking photographs near the bathing area. Suddenly, another elephant charged at the elephant standing beside us. The elephant fell on me and my wife. I was holding our baby in my hands. I somehow escaped, but my wife could not come out. I tried to pull her out, but failed,” he said emotionally. Joel alleged that panic gripped the area after the incident and there was no immediate help available at the spot.
