Iran plane crash victim’s legacy lives on through North Vancouver bakery, one year after aircraft shot down

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Shahnaz Oleh has now been running Amir Bakery in North Vancouver for a year.

Friday is an anniversary of deeply mixed motions. On Jan. 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 took off from Tehran, Iran.

It was mistaken for a missile and shot down by Iranian forces. All 176 people on board were killed, including Fatemah Pasavand and Ayeshe Pourghaderi, a mother and daughter from North Vancouver.

After they died, family friend Shahnaz Oleh took over the bakery Pasavand owned to preserve her family’s legacy.

“This is very invaluable for me because it’s the memory of my friend, I hope I can keep the business here because we still have a lot of memories inside,” Oleh explained.

Oleh has since bought the bakery and kept all of the employees, all while learning the recipes and how to operate the business she now runs in honor of her friend.

“It’s not easy but I learned from here a lot of things. She was such a hard worker and I hope I can do that too and keep this memorial for her,” she added.

That has been a challenge as restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on small businesses.

“Little bit hard for us but I don’t have a choice — it’s the memorial of my friend.”

Zahra Tari, who worked for Pasavand for years, says emotions at the bakery are still raw but she remembers how running the bakery always brought a smile to her face.

“She was so strong and so kind, she was so happy here,” Tari said.

Those at the bakery are now remembering the mother and daughter. They’re assembling photos and flowers to mark the anniversary of the crash.

Oleh says she feels gratitude for the support she’s received during a very difficult year.

“Many many people have to help us feel better, I’ll never forget, I miss them.”