KARPATHOS, Greece – Greek-American Maria Nikolaidis, 27, of Florida, died tragically in a car accident while vacationing on the island of Karpathos.

While the details are still unclear, it is reported that she was in the car with her boyfriend Damianos Talakis, 34, when the car veered off the road and fell from a cliff resulting in both of them losing their lives.

As Rodiaki reported, the bodies of the unfortunate young people were found about 1 km from the Arkasas – Foiniki road after residents and police searched for hours.

According to information in the Greek media, the two young people who had spent time at a club on the island were last seen early Friday morning, June 15. At noon on the same day they were reported missing at the Karpathos Police Station and the investigation began to locate them. Eventually their car was spotted at the bottom of a cliff where it had dropped from a height of about 50 meters.

Once the tragic news became known, the grieving relatives asked about the cause of the accident which is still under investigation, and many friends posted their condolences on Facebook.

The funeral for both Nikolaidis and Talakis took place on June 18 at the Church of the Ypapanti of the Savior in Arkasa, Karpathos, where the whole village gathered to mourn the two young people who cared so deeply for one another, as Fr. Spyridon Karamalis told The National Herald. The two coffins were side by side in the church and were then buried in the same cemetery in Arkasa.

Maria was much beloved in the community and loved Karpathos her entire life as both her parents came from the island and visited often. She had many beloved friends on the island including Talakis.

“The whole village is overwhelmed,” the priest said.

The unfortunate young woman’s grieving parents were too upset to speak about the tragedy with TNH according to family friend Nikos Tsambounieris, who also noted that the parents will remain on the island until all the traditional ecclesiastical ceremonies are concluded.

All the relatives from the United States and Athens attended the funeral along with Nikolaidis’ parents and brother.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere is heavy with grief at the Nikolaides family restaurant, the Egg House in Lake Wales, Florida.

The restaurant manager Nelly Vargas told TNH that Maria worked at the family-owned restaurant. She said, “Maria was a very dear person, everyone loved her and admired her. She was always smiling whatever happened.”

When we asked her about the atmosphere now in the restaurant, Vargas replied that “it’s very difficult, we go day by day” and added that “it will not be the same without Maria.”

Nikolaidis lived in Florida with her family but went very often to Karpathos. Her Facebook page reveals a very lively and talented young woman whose life was cut short prematurely.