NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gita Cahyani came to Nashville from Bali, Indonesia, with a simple goal: to work and help support her family back home.
On Oct. 5, that mission was cut short. Metro Nashville Police said Cahyani suffered a head injury after falling from a scooter on Demonbreun Street while on her way to work. She died the following night.
Cahyani had been working at Mike’s Ice Cream, where coworkers said she quickly became part of their family. Following her death, coworkers, customers and members of Nashville’s Indonesian community have rallied to support Cahyani’s family.
A GoFundMe created for her family reached its goal within hours and has since surpassed it. On Thursday, Oct. 15, Mike’s Ice Cream plans to donate 100% of its sales to Cahyani’s family.
“She was such a bright, shining star here for us. She always came in with a big smile on her face. It didn’t matter what she had to learn in her life,” coworker Mary Katherine Sullivan said.
For those who worked alongside Cahyani, that smile is what they say they will remember most.
Cahyani had worked at Mike’s Ice Cream for only about six months but quickly made an impression.
“She was promoted to shift leader pretty quickly. That was how great she was,” coworker Tessa Travis said.
Coworkers said Cahyani, like others in Nashville’s Indonesian community, came to the United States to work and send money home to her family.
“She had come over here, much like a lot of her community from Indonesia, to help support the family back home,” Travis said. “She was working to help send money back to her family.”
News of Cahyani’s death stunned those who worked alongside her.
“We were very shocked, really at a loss for words,” Sullivan said. “We just knew that we needed to all band together and do whatever was necessary to support her, and we just kind of dropped everything.”
Cahyani’s time in Nashville was brief, but her coworkers said the kindness and joy she brought to the people around her will leave a lasting impression.
Those wishing to help Cahyani’s family can find a link to the GoFundMe here.
And this Thursday, Mike’s Ice Cream and Sip Cafe will donate 100 percent of its sales to her family.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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