A funeral service for Maryam Rashidi Ashtiani, who was run down and killed while trying to stop a gas-and-dash on Sunday, was held on Friday afternoon and family, friends and Calgarians turned out to pay their respects.

The 36-year-old was working at the Centex gas station on 16th Avenue when she confronted two people in a truck who were trying to flee without paying for their gas.

Ashtiani was hit by the vehicle and run over. She was rushed to hospital but died from her injuries a few days later.

Joshua Cody Mitchell, 20, is charged in connection to her death.

Family and friends gathered in Calgary on Friday to remember Ashtiani.

“It has been a very, very stressful, sad and painful week. For the family, obviously, for Ahmad, Koroosh, their son, the family back in Iran and the entire Calgary community and Canadian community,” said Fariborz Birjandian from the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, who presided over the funeral. “We’re sad and angry that such a beautiful life has been taken away for such a cruel act by some young people.”

Birjandian says the family donated Ashianti’s organs so others will now benefit from her gift.

“They decided to actually donate her organs to those that they can get a second chance having a longer life. That in itself shows that she left a huge footprint. She shared her death as a life to six other people in Calgary. Six other people are going to live longer and healthier because of her,” he said.

Maryam Rashidi Ashtiani was born in Tehran and attended university there where she earned a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering.

She met her husband, Ahmad Nourani Shalloo, while working in the oil and gas industry and the two were married in 2005.

The couple immigrated to Canada in 2014 after having their son in 2009 and settled in Calgary this past January.

Ashtiani and Shalloo both found jobs at a local oil and gas company but were laid off in March so she took a job as a gas station attendant to support her family.

Her husband Ahmad read a tribute in Farsi that was translated by a friend saying…

“My son Koroosh and I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your presence here. Dear fellow citizens, friends and all those across the water, today onwards, you are our family. You showed us your genuine feelings and sincerity during this time of sorrow. Indeed, we admit how precious you all are to us. How devastating it is that Maryam is not in our midst to see we are surrounded by such a wonderful group of friends and supporters. She’s not here to make it to the end, the journey we both began four years ago. Maryam was just 36-years-old. We challenged all the barriers to immigrate to Canada with enthusiasm and passion. After almost three years of waiting, we could finally call Canada our new home seven months ago. We had many dreams to come true for our family’s future, shoulder to shoulder and having our only son Koroosh in our lives. With the experience and expertise we brought to Canada we were certain that we would achieve our dreams one after another. We shared a home full of motherly love, a father’s determination and a healthy son. We both believed that we must strive to keep our cultural values while looking for the new ways to succeed in the new society. Unfortunately this terrible accident cast a shadow on our happiness. Dear friends, just image the tough time we are going through, no words can describe how deeply we are affected by the loss of our beloved Maryam. We are prepared to make all effort it takes to overcome the sadness of this loss. To help my son have the best life and education, Maryam and I had ever dreamed for him. I am sure that I will not alone be achieving this as I have all of you as my family. Thank you very much for being here for us.”

Another memorial is planned for Saturday, June 13 at 1:00 p.m. at the Bowness Community Association.

A trust fund has been set up to help the family and anyone wishing to contribute can do so at any TD Canada Trust branch:

  • "In Trust for Ahmad and Koroosh"
  • Branch: 01729
  • Account: 6737034