A London architect died in a devastating car crash after briefly leaving his best friend’s wedding in Albania to get a phone charger.
Daniel Rjabcevs, 28, had traveled from the U.K. to Albania on June 4 to attend his friend’s wedding, according to Kennedy News and Media.
But during the evening celebration on June 6, Daniel left the venue in a rented Fiat and never came back.
His older brother, Vlad Merkulovs, said wedding guests became worried when Daniel had been gone for several hours and no one could reach him.
“He went to the wedding, but at some point, he decided to go and get a phone charger. This is what I’ve been told,” Vlad, 34, said.
Guests began calling Daniel, but he did not answer. Eventually, authorities were contacted.
The family later learned that Daniel had been involved in a catastrophic crash.
“My brother’s car, the little Fiat, was smashed from both sides, so there was no chance of survival,” Vlad said.
Daniel suffered devastating injuries, including multiple fractures and traumatic brain injuries. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery in a desperate effort to save him.
“They did brain surgery. They tried to save him, but they said he was in a critical condition and had brain damage,” Vlad said.
Despite doctors’ efforts, Daniel died from his injuries.
Vlad said he learned of his brother’s death while he was back home in London, just two days after dropping Daniel off at the airport for what was supposed to be a joyful trip.
“[It’s] a devastating tragedy [and] changed our family’s life forever. Our family is heartbroken,” he said.
Vlad remembered Daniel as a loving and positive person whose loss has shattered the family.
“Daniel was a loving son, brother, friend and a person who brought kindness and positivity into the lives of those around him,” he said. “His loss has left an unimaginable void in our family.”
For Vlad, the loss is especially painful because he saw Daniel as more than just a younger sibling.
“I was his older brother and I treated him like he was my son,” he said. “He wasn’t just my brother. He was a godfather to my little girl. We feel a lot of pain, and it’s traumatic.”
Daniel’s body is expected to be transported from Albania to Latvia, where his family is originally from, for funeral services.
Vlad has launched a GoFundMe to help the family cover funeral expenses, travel costs, legal and administrative expenses, and other unexpected costs connected to the tragedy.
“We are raising funds to help cover funeral expenses, travel costs for family members, legal and administrative expenses, and other unexpected costs resulting from this tragedy,” he wrote on the fundraising page.
“Any donation, no matter how small, will help ease the financial burden during this incredibly difficult time,” he added.
In a later update, Vlad said the family is still trying to get answers from local Albanian authorities about what happened before the deadly crash.
“As the investigation continues, our family remains committed to pursuing the truth and ensuring that Daniel’s case receives the attention it deserves,” he wrote.
The Albanian State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
What began as a trip to celebrate a best friend’s wedding ended in unimaginable heartbreak after Daniel left for something as simple as a phone charger and never returned.
