MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI
Associated Press Writer
BAKURIANI, Georgia – The body of the Georgian luger killed during a practice run at the Vancouver Olympics was flown Wednesday to his hometown, where his grief-stricken mother threw herself on his coffin and cried: “Why have I survived you?”
Nodar Kumaritashvili’s body arrived in a flag-draped coffin at the Georgian capital’s airport before dawn, met by relatives and onlookers. The 21-year-old is to be buried Saturday at a churchyard in Bakuriani, a village of about 1,500 that is located in one of Georgia’s most popular winter sports regions.
His mother, Dodo Kharazishvili, was unable to stand and had to be held up by relatives. Dozens of relatives and friends stood nearby, struggling to contain their own tears.