Petersburgh crash victim’s friends try to get family to US

PETERSBURGH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Friends have been trying to reunite the family with the victim of a three-car crash on State Route 2 in Petersburgh that happened on June 14. The family can't be at the victim's bedside at a local hospital because they live in Iran, which is one of 19 countries where visa issuances have been fully suspended with limited exceptions. Adriene Byron is one of the friends that has been visiting Shadan, the victim, and is keeping in contact with her family. "Her family is trying to get from Iran to the U.S.," said Byron. "They have gotten from Iran to Armenia and had a visa appointment at the embassy in Armenia." Byron says Shadan's father was denied a visa. Her mother was also denied a visa, but the denial included that she could request to visit on special circumstances. This request needs approval from the foreign ministry in Washington D.C. "That process could take a few weeks," said Byron. "We're trying to get them here before that, so that they can say goodbye to their daughter." Byron told NEWS10 that Shadan was declared brain dead on Tuesday. To expedite the process and get her family here sooner, Byron says her friends have been reaching out to lawmakers. Vermont Representative Becca Balint shared a statement with NEWS10: "My team and I have received an outpouring of support on behalf of Shadan Karimi and appreciate that she is beloved by many," reads the statement. "This situation is a terrible tragedy, and I send my prayers to Shadan and her loved ones as they do everything they can to reunite with her here in the United States." Elissa Tenny, interim president of Shadan's alma mater, shared a statement with NEWS10 saying that Bennington College has provided a letter of support "to help expedite the process" for acquiring a visa. Shadan's father, Majid, described the situation he finds his family in. "[Shadan's] family are waiting in Yerevan, [in] the Republic of Armenia, to get a visa," he said. "But because of the ban, [we] are still waiting." Majid hopes the decision to deny his visa application can be reconsidered.