Friendship Heals

August 3, 2000

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On August 3, 2000, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported on the friendship that has grown between Indian immigrant Kesturkoppal Muralidhara and his Mormon neighbor Nancy Beaman. His wife, Vadewattee Muralidhara, was "gunned down with eight others a year ago by day trader Mark Barton." It was too much for his 19-year-old son and he to return to their home, so the two moved. Since then, the grief-stricken Muralidhara has had a hard time making new friends, eating his meals, and practicing medicine at his pediatrics office. All this changed, however, when he met Beaman, who, according to Muralidhara, "helps me day to day." Muralidhara "stared at the bare walls of his new home for months, unable to unpack boxes that held reminders of the life shared with his wife. Beaman took to the task with a friend, hanging pictures and arranging knickknacks. When the bill collectors began calling because he was never the one in the marriage to handle the finances, Beaman helped Muralidhara sort it all out. More than that, Muralidhara says, Beaman befriended him in her bold way and is helping him live with the grief that he doubts will ever die. 'When I realized that she was very helpful and she was very kindly and so on, I started opening up more and more,' he says. Beaman... seems flattered but doesn't think she's done anything special. 'When I was growing up, neighbors helped neighbors,' she says."