#Wife of Uber driver killed in crash doesn’t know how to tell kids

“He left us alone.”

The Long Island woman whose Uber-driving husband was killed along with four others in a head-on collision Saturday night has said she’s at a loss about how to tell the couple’s three young children that their father won’t be coming home.

“The kids have been asking me since yesterday when their father is coming,” 26-year-old Hifsa Ahmad told Newsday. “‘Why is he still at work? Why isn’t he coming?’ They really don’t understand.”

Farhan Zahid, 32, and three of his four passengers died when a westbound Nissan Maxima crossed the center line on Montauk Highway in the village of Quogue at around 11:15 p.m. and slammed into the eastbound Toyota Prius driven by Zahid.

Passengers Michael O. Farrell, 20; James P. Farrell, 25; and Ryan J. Kiess, 25, all of Manhasset, were also killed in the crash, as was the driver of the Maxima, 22-year-old Justin B. Mendez of Brookhaven. Kiess’ girlfriend, 22-year-old Brianna M. Maglio of Garden City, remained in critical condition at Peconic Bay Medical Center Monday night.

Zahid and Ahmad were married in Pakistan in 2014. She had lived on Long Island, as do most of her family, since 2008. Zahid followed his wife to the US in 2016 and found work as an Uber driver to support Ahmad and their kids — son Ayan, 6, daughter Mishal, 3, and son Ahaan, 16 months.

“I have no support; he was working; he was the only one,” a tearful Ahmad told Newsday. “He was a good partner. A good husband. He was really nice.”

Ahmad added that she was getting ready to open a beauty parlor in the couple’s hometown of Bay Shore next month and the family was planning to travel to Pakistan in October to see Zahid’s sister get married. Soon, they will all be together for Zahid’s funeral.

Quogue police are scheduled to provide an update on their investigation of the crash on Tuesday. Investigators believe the Maxima was speeding, which played a key role in the deadly collision.

“Our thoughts are with the families of Mr. Zahid and the four others who lost their lives in this heartbreaking crash,” an Uber spokesperson said, “and we hope the survivor makes a full recovery.”