Sandhya Khadka wrote a three-page essay recently for a class at North Seattle Community College, describing her homeland in Nepal, why she was in school in Seattle and what her dreams were.

Thursday night, her accounting instructor Joe Smith presented that recent class assignment to her family and friends at a vigil mourning her death.

Khadka, 17, was hit by a truck on April 14. She died while crossing the street to catch the Number 41 bus in the Pinehurst neighborhood while on her way to school.

She came to the US 11 months ago to live near her father, Sahadev Khadka. She also had many family friends here who could help guide her as she decided on a career and her education goals, said her friend and roommate Shraddha Kakshapati.

“She had so many big dreams,” said Kakshapati as dozens of people gathered for a memorial Friday evening.

Kakshapati helped organize the vigil to remember her roommate and to remind drivers that pedestrians are vulnerable. She also said that she plans to work toward getting a marked crosswalk at the intersection. A petition was passed around at the vigil Thursday night calling for a safer intersection.

In recent years, neighbors advocated for a crosswalk on Fifth Avenue Northeast and a sidewalk on Northeast 115th Street. A proposal in 2013 by neighbors cited the number of people who cross there to use the number 41 bus. However, documents show the Seattle Department of Transportation denied the proposal and said the intersection did not meet criteria for a crosswalk.

The Thursday vigil was attended by family, friends, a network of Nepalese organizations, community members and leaders from Seattle government. Former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, a longtime advocate for pedestrians and bicycle riders, also attended the vigil.

Just as the vigil started, a spectacular double rainbow appeared in the sky overhead.

“That’s her. It was her smile. She was smiling,” said Kakshapati.

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