Late carer Nischal Ghimire farewelled at Adelaide memorial service

Mourners travelled from all over Australia to pay their respects and pray for the memory of a carer who drowned at a popular Adelaide beach.

Friends and relatives at Nischal Ghimire’s memorial on Friday. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

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Mourners travelled from all over Australia to pay their respects and pray for the memory of a carer who drowned at a popular Adelaide beach.

Almost 100 family and friends from the city’s small Nepalese community on Friday attended a memorial service for Nischal Ghimire, 22, who died last week.

Nischal Ghimire's uncle Laxmi Kant Ghimire flanked by the late carer’s brother Ghanashyam and cousin Prajwal Ghimire at Blackwell Funerals chapel in Thebarton. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

During the hour-long ceremony, government officials paid tribute to his kindness and urged prayer “so it is easier for his soul to go to heaven”.

The emotional service came before the carer’s brother, Ghanashyam Ghimire, 38, accompanies his body back on Saturday to his native Nepal for a funeral “ritual”.

A candlelit vigil will also be held next week in the drowned man’s honour.

The late Nischal Ghimire

Mr Ghimire, a Kathmandu-based consultant known as Sam, on Friday told The Advertiser how he would now focus efforts on launching a charity in his brother’s name.

He said his brother – who was juggling work as a carer with nursing studies – had wanted to be pilot when he was growing up but instead dedicated his to helping others.

“I really, really want to start a foundation in his memory,” he said.

“I want to be able to support children in Nepal like Nischal did in Adelaide.

“The support from the Nepalese people, and others in the community has been amazing.

“People have come today from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to be here.”

His brother, of Clarence Park, was looking after Kevin Maghsoodi, his 10-year-old client with whom he had formed a special bond. The pair went for a swim at Glenelg on Thursday afternoon last week.

The alarm was raised hours later when the wet and naked young boy – who has high-level autism and is non-verbal with significant intellectual disabilities – knocked on a nearby home screaming.

Kevin’s mother Mary, 39, has labelled Mr Ghimire a hero for “saving Kevin’s life”. The Iranian-born mother of two, of Edwardstown, attended Friday’s service with her former husband and eldest son.

* The Advertiser was invited to the service with the family’s permission.