Për Anitën me Familje

from www.NEWSDAY.com

BY ANTHONY M. DESTEFANO
Staff Writer

October 23, 2004

At an emotional service in the shadow of the
Gowanus Expressway, the city's Albanian
immigrant community paid tribute to singer Anita
Bitri-Prapaniku, the musician who died of carbon
monoxide poisoning last week.

Hundreds of tearful mourners filled the tiny First
Evangelical Free Church in Brooklyn's Sunset
Park section to commemorate Bitri, her daughter
Sibora, 7, and mother Hazabije Bitri, 60, who
also died in the tragedy.

The service was quickly pulled together by
Albanian musicians in the New York area after
news spread of Bitri's death Tuesday.

The family was overcome by carbon monoxide in
their Staten Island home, apparently after
someone forgot to remove a plastic bag that was
stuffed in a boiler flue during recent deck
contruction.

Arben Bitri, the singer's brother, who flew from
Milan, Italy, sat distraught throughout the service.
He spoke briefly in Albanian of his sister in a
barely audible voice.

Many wept in the audience as singer Merita Halili
performed the lament "Kenge Bajtuese." She was
followed by a poetry reading by Erion Maftafaraj.

Agim Nesho, Albania's U.N. ambassador, said
his country was willing to assist the Bitri family in
funeral and burial arrangements.

"We will respect their wishes," Nesho said.