A PRIVATE FAMILY funeral and cremation will take place in Ireland for a Canadian born medical student who was killed in a car accident in Tralee on Monday.

Nelia Scheeres, who was originally from Barrie, a city in Ontario, Canada, was driving home from her first day’s work on her GP placement at a practice in Lixnaw when her car collided with a truck at Pope’s Quay.

The collision occurred at around 1.15pm on Monday. Scheeres was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured.

Scheeres was living in Castletroy in Limerick at the time of her death and is survived by her parents Jaco and Madine, her twin brother Ian and sister Christie. Christie is also a medical student at the University of Limerick.

Her death notice on Rip.ie says that Scheeres was “well loved all over the world.” Nelia has extended family in South Africa, Holland and the US as well as in Canada and Ireland. She was also an “adored daughter.”

The President of the University of Limerick, where Scheeres was in the third year of her studies, has also paid her respects.

In a statement, Professor Kerstin Mey said it was her “sad duty” to make students aware of the loss of a “cherished member of their community” Scheeres, who was a year three BMBS student.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nelia’s family especially to her parents Jan (Jaco) and Madine, her sister and fellow BMBS student Christie, her brother Ian and to her extended family and fellow UL students. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.”

Flowers have been placed at the scene of the crash while hundreds of people have offered their condolences to the family of the deceased on Rip.ie.

One classmate said that Scheeres was full of “warmth, kindness, humour and passion.” A tutor at UL said that she would remember her “gorgeous smile that always brightened the room and her gentle caring manner.”

Scheeres was a graduate of a biomedical science degree at the University of Guelph, Canada, and had joined a four-year graduate entry medicine programme in Limerick two years ago.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the collision to come forward. This includes anyone who was travelling on the N69 at the time of the crash who may have dash cam footage.

Members of the public with information are asked to contact Tralee Garda station on 066 710 2300, the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.