Tragic Death of Brainerd Baptist School Cafeteria Worker | Local News

The Brainerd Baptist School community is mourning the tragic death of a cafeteria employee who was struck and killed on his way to work Tuesday morning.

Nasrin Marefat, an Iranian refugee who became a U.S. citizen in August, was crossing the intersection of Brainerd Road and North Parkdale Avenue when she was struck by a 16-year-old driver. Marefat was transported to the hospital but did not survive.

“She had a bright light and an even brighter smile,” said Sherry Goss, a colleague and close friend of Marefat. Goss shared that their bond grew over the six years Marefat worked at the school, where she often helped Goss study for her own citizenship.

“She asked me questions about history, and that made our work fun,” Goss said. “Her positive attitude kept everyone together.”

Friends and colleagues remember Marefat as a beacon of joy. “If you ask anyone here, the only answer that comes out is positive about their character,” said a colleague.

After her untimely death, Marefat’s adult children are having difficulty obtaining visas to travel to the United States, complicating efforts to repatriate her body to Iran. “Traveling costs so much money,” Goss explained, expressing concern for Marefat’s family, who she said meant everything to her.

“She often told me, ‘Sherry, I miss my children. “I’m not feeling great today,” Goss recalled. “Family was everything to her.”

As the Brainerd Baptist School community copes with this loss, plans to honor Marefat’s memory are in the works to ensure her light continues to shine in the hearts of those she touched.