Sikh Community Gathers in Prayer and Offers Funeral Support After Florida Turnpike Tragedy
Sikh Community Gathers in Prayer and Offers Funeral Support After Florida Turnpike Tragedy
Fort Pierce, FL | August 30, 2025
Today, members of the Sikh community from across the United States and Canada gathered outside the St. Lucie County Jail to honor the lives lost in the recent Florida Turnpike tragedy. The solemn prayer event, organized by UNITED SIKHS, brought together families, faith leaders, and advocates in a collective act of remembrance and resolve.
UNITED SIKHS has learned that two of the three victims’ bodies have been claimed. The community is actively looking to support the bereaved families and has offered assistance with funeral arrangements and expenses.
The Sikh community, including UNITED SIKHS and other faith-based networks, is working on outreach to the impacted families and also seeks to assist with the body that is yet unclaimed in providing last rites and funeral assistance. Coordinating with local leaders, the community is ensuring that no family faces this tragedy alone. UNITED SIKHS members visited the Medical Examiners
Office and left a note stating this offer of assistance on the door as the office was closed at the time of the visit.
“We understand it is our responsibility – not just as Sikhs but as human beings – to help those impacted,” said Gurvinder Singh, International Humanitarian Aid Director of UNITED SIKHS. “While thoughts and prayers are essential, we are committed to providing substantive support, including financial assistance for funeral costs and preparations in addition to us asking the almighty for strength and solace.”
This gathering is not the first time the Sikh community has mobilized in moments of crisis. An inherent part of Sikh faith is seva – selfless service – and the Sikh Community and UNITED SIKHS has consistently embodied this principle across Florida and beyond. From the early days of mobilizing relief in Lady Lake’s 2007 tornado, to the long road of recovery after Hurricane Irma in 2017, and the emergency aid delivered during Hurricane Ian in 2022, the organization has remained a steadfast presence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNITED SIKHS launched a global Emergency Relief Mission that served over a million meals and supported vulnerable communities across North America, including the delivery of food and supplies to Seminole High School in Florida.
Even beyond Florida, Sikh communities in other regions are stepping up to offer help. From organizing prayer vigils to providing logistical and emotional support, the spirit of solidarity continues to ripple outward. Today’s gathering is a testament to the enduring values of dignity, compassion, and collective action. Anyone seeking assistance or wishing to contribute to the relief efforts may contact UNITED SIKHS directly through the official website.
About UNITED SIKHS
UNITED SIKHS is a United Nations-affiliated international nonprofit organization dedicated to humanitarian relief, civil rights advocacy, and community empowerment. Guided by the Sikh principle of seva (selfless service), the organization provides advocacy, disaster response, and social justice support to underserved communities across the globe. Through strategic partnerships, grassroots mobilization, and policy engagement, UNITED SIKHS works to protect human dignity, promote religious freedom, and advance equity for all.
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