Renowned pediatric doctor Faiqa Aftab Qureshi dies in fatal car crash in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, sending shockwaves through both American and Pakistani medical communities. The 75-year-old emergency medicine expert was killed when her vehicle veered off the northbound lanes of Interstate 85 and caught fire early Friday morning, authorities said.
Virginia State Police responded to the scene around 9 a.m. on December 26, approximately 2.5 miles north of McKenney Highway, where Dr Qureshi’s 2024 Lexus RX 350 had left the roadway. She was declared dead at the scene, with the crash under ongoing investigation.
Dr Faiqa Aftab Qureshi was widely respected for her decades-long career in pediatric emergency medicine, especially at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) in Norfolk, Virginia, where she served since 1993 and at times held leadership roles in the emergency department.
Born in Pakistan, Dr Qureshi graduated from King Edward Medical University in Lahore in 1973 and later became a beloved educator there before emigrating to the United States. She was also the daughter of the late Air Marshal Nur Khan, a distinguished leader in Pakistan’s Air Force and civil aviation sectors.
Her passing has sparked an outpouring of grief from colleagues, patients’ families and fellow physicians on social media. Many recalled her clinical expertise, mentorship and compassionate care for children facing critical health emergencies.
Experts say that road traffic injuries remain a leading cause of unintentional deaths across many states, highlighting ongoing concerns about highway safety even as winter conditions persist in parts of Virginia.
In remembering her life, many have also reflected on other recent losses in the wider cultural and intellectual world, including the passing of celebrated writer Vinod Kumar Shukla, whose life and work continue to be honored in literary circles internationally.
Dr Faiqa Aftab Qureshi dies in fatal car crash in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, but her legacy as a dedicated pediatrician and mentor will endure in the countless lives she touched.
