A son whose parents remain missing after the catastrophic floods in Nepal has vowed to continue the family business to “honour their legacy”.
Deepesh Patel said he and his brother were “taking it one step at a time” as they await news of their mother Mala and father Bipin, who crossed from Nepal into Tibet before a landslide struck the Gyirong border seven weeks ago.
While the search continues, Patel, from Coventry, has taken on responsibility for his parents’ First Class Learning business which provides after-school academic tuition in the city.
“I’m sure my parents would have would have wanted it to carry on, and I’ll do my best to try and fill their shoes,” Patel said.
“There’s a lot of people dependent on it so I’m just kind of taking things step by step,” he added.
His parents were travelling on a pilgrimage through Nepal towards Tibet when floods struck on 26 August.
More than 5,300 people remain missing, said the United Nations,, external after the floods which were triggered by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border.
Patel worked in sales prior to taking on the family business which runs centres at Caledon Castle School and Walsgrave Baptist Church in Coventry, and he is adapting to running the firm.
“I was in sales before so it’s a bit of a switch for sure – dealing with children you have to have a lot of patience,” he told BBC CWR.
“I know my mum definitely had a lot of patience, so I try and draw upon that experience to an extent.”
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