Community Rallies To Support UCO International Student Killed, Another Injured In Car Crash

A deadly accident took the life of an international student at the University of Central Oklahoma. Another student was seriously injured. Now their friends and the university want to help their families abroad.

Looking at a picture of 25-year-old Harika Jetti smiling, is how her boyfriend, 27-year-old Srikanth Eduru says he will remember her.

“She had this beautiful smile,” Eduru said. 

The two shared a passion that brought them from India to Edmond. “She wanted to achieve something in life and change her lifestyle back home,” he said.

The graduate students met in person last year at the University of Central Oklahoma where they were enrolled in the nutrition and food science program. He said it wasn’t long before they started dating. “We had this dream of living a simple life,” he said.

Their dreams were tragically cut short last month on July 20, when the couple crashed on wet roads near Guthrie.

“The rain just started pouring,” he remembers. “There was no time for my reaction.”

Jetti died at the scene. Eduru asked why. “Why that side,” he said. “I was searching for her and calling her, ‘Please don't leave me.’”

Eduru was left with a damaged spleen, broken bones, and a broken heart. “I don't know why I’m still here,” he said. “I asked God, like, she's the nice person, why do that to me.”

Family and friends all immediately stepped in to help with GoFundMe accounts. The UCO Foundation also pledged to donate funds for both families.

“The key is our students,” said Brandon Lehman, UCO’s Director of International Recruitment and Marketing. “These are two highly valuable precious people and all that we can do to support them and their families, we want to do that.” 

And help Eduru move forward and finish his degree without her.

“He has a lot of physical challenges right now and obviously there's the heartbreak he's dealing with but still the determination to do that and get up and to finish, I think that's a great testament to his work ethic, and I think in memory of her,” said Lehman.

Eduru hopes to graduate next spring. Jetti’s body was returned home to India for burial.

If you would like to help the families, you can donate to the following GoFundMe accounts:

For Jetti’s family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-harika-jettis-family-in-their-time-of-loss

For Eduru: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-srikanth-heal-urgent-medical-support-needed?qid=31a89f9b2c48bfb9ae0ae64665727fe7