CHICAGO MOURNS “ŽUĆA”: The tragically killed Serb in his last message urged a friend to leave trucking, finish college and said: “A wonderful life” (PHOTO)

A Serb originally from Leskovac, Aleksandar Conić Žuća (34), was killed yesterday behind the wheel of his truck in a serious traffic accident that occurred in the U.S. state of Georgia on Interstate I-75.

Everyone is mourning Aleksandar, who had lived in Chicago for the past ten years. Serbia mourns, America mourns. His parents and brother are inconsolable, as is his wife, who was left alone with their two small children, their sons. Friends are still in shock and disbelief, and everyone who knew him in the large Serbian and Balkan community in these areas has only words of praise for Aleksandar.

Slobodan Veličković, his best friend since the days when they studied together at the Faculty of Physical Education (DIF) in Leposavić, where they were also roommates for four years, reveals to Serbian Times what Aleksandar Conić wrote to him just before his death.

In addition to being friends, Veličković worked for Conić’s company, so they were constantly in contact. It was the same yesterday, everything seemed like just another ordinary workday.

We were texting a few hours before the accident, business communication, trucks, routes… And then, suddenly, he starts sending me messages urging me to leave trucking and finish medical school: “Cimo (that’s what we called each other since our student roommate days), you are a man for whom it’s a shame not to be a doctor and not to practice medicine. You’re not designed for a truck, just as I’m not for a doctor. If you can, Cimo, go ahead, because you can work until you’re 70. You don’t have an age limit. You could even open a private clinic…,” Slobodan tearfully recalls their last communication.
I’m reading these messages now and I feel like crying. In the final moments of his life, he was thinking about others, about me, about what I should do with my life. That’s the kind of man Aleksandar was, caring, attentive, everyone loved him, says our interlocutor, and the author of these lines can confirm it, because yesterday the Serbian Times newsroom received many calls from our readers who knew this tragically deceased young man and wanted to say how wonderful he was.

Slobodan says that recently he had been urging Aleksandar to stop driving a truck…

I often asked him why he struggled so much even though he had his own company and employees, why he had to drive while his wife and two small children were waiting for him at home, why he didn’t live like all the other trucking owners? And he would tell me: “Brother, for me to live like a boss, given this crisis in our business, I would have to lie to and cheat all of you, my employees and drivers, to shortchange you on routes. This way it’s easier for me, I struggle, I drive, but I sleep peacefully,” he would tell me.

That last morning Aleksandar stopped the truck to have breakfast and sent a photo to Slobodan.

“A wonderful life, Cimo,” he wrote. And on the table in front of him were an open can of sardines and a jar of jam. He was modest. He saw that his driver had posted a photo eating a steak in some restaurant, so he joked at his own expense: “Who’s the boss here, and who’s the worker?”

ROOMMATES AND BEST FRIENDS: Slobodan and Aleksandar went through a lot together (in the photo also their roommate and college friend, Filip Urošević)

Help a mother with two children survive the worst

For the family of Aleksandar Conić, his job was the only source of income, and therefore his wife and children urgently need assistance in order to secure basic living conditions. An initiative has been launched on the GoFundMe platform and ALL THOSE WHO WISH CAN DONATE MONEY HERE! ALL IN SHOCK AND ALL PRAISE HIM: Aleksandar Conić left behind a great, shining mark

In a post on this platform, his friends wrote the following:

“With deep sadness we inform you that Aleksandar Conić tragically lost his life in a truck traffic accident that occurred early this morning.

Aleksandar was a wonderful father, a beloved husband and a sincere friend. He was a man with a big heart, always ready to help others, hardworking and devoted to his family. His sudden departure has left a huge void and pain that is hard to describe in words.

He is survived by his wife and two young sons to whom he was the whole world.

In these most difficult moments, we want to provide support to his family and help them get through the days ahead. The funds collected through this action will be intended for funeral expenses and financial assistance to the family so that they may have at least a little relief during this painful period.

ŠOK ZA SRBE U ČIKAGU: Aleksandar (34) stradao u kamionu, iza njega ostalo dvoje male dece i žena! Hitno im je potrebna pomoć! (FOTO)

OVI MALIŠANI OD JUTROS PITAJU GDE IM JE TATA: Pomozite porodici Aleksandra Conića (34) da preživi najteže trenutke! (LINK U TEKSTU)

We ask all good people who are able to help, every donation, regardless of the amount, means a lot. If you are not able to donate, please share this post so that together we can provide support to the Conić family.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your compassion and support.

Aleksandar Conić had lived in America for almost 10 years, and in Serbia he graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education (DIF).