Remembering Kristjan: Handball tourney marks 10 years since Halloween crash killed 3 in Pelham Bay
Family and friends of Kristjan Leka hosted their annual handball tournament to honor the life of Leka and a sport he enjoyed playing.
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Family and friends gathered at Burns Playground in Pelham Bay on Saturday to remember Kristjan Leka through a sport he enjoyed playing in his downtime.
On Halloween 2015, a Dodge Charger jumped the curb and struck trick or treaters. Three people were killed – Nyanna Aquil, 10; her grandfather Louis Perez, 65; and 24-year-old Kristjan Leka.
"I feel like that happened yesterday because of the pain I feel in my heart and in my body is the same," said Kristjan's father Martin Leka.
Landa Leka, Kristjan's mother, said the handball tournament held every year in honor of her son is a testament to the many lives he touched.
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"He was a really, really wonderful kid. I'm so happy he has such good friends doing this every single year to keep his memory alive," said Landa.
Organizers told News 12 they have no plans to stop the annual event.
Howard Unger, of The Bronx, was sentenced in 2018 to 4-12 years in prison for the crash. Prosecutors said he was "a ticking time bomb" when he decided to drive that night. Unger lost control of his vehicle after suffering a seizure behind the wheel. Prosecutors say he often drove without taking his medicine.
