After Reena Virk’s murder, her parents, Manjit and Suman Virk, spoke publicly against bullying and youth violence. Suman died in 2018, aged 58. Manjit published a memoir about Reena and later spoke with the creators of Hulu’s Under the Bridge. The series draws on his account, but its scenes do not always follow the real-life chronology.
How Manjit and Suman Virk responded after Reena’s death
The Virks turned their loss into public anti-bullying advocacy. In a 2009 announcement, the Government of British Columbia said they spoke with children in schools and at community events about bullying and violence. The province recognized that work with the Anthony J. Hulme Award for Community Safety and Crime Prevention.
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Their advocacy continued beyond that award. After Suman’s death, Premier John Horgan said her work to end bullying had helped children across British Columbia, in a condolence statement reported by Canadian Press.
What happened to Suman Virk?
Suman Virk died in Victoria in June 2018, aged 58. Canadian Press reported her death and age. Esquire reported that she died after choking at a restaurant; that specific cause comes from Esquire’s account, rather than the provincial government’s statement.
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In its statement after her death, the Government of British Columbia described Suman’s anti-bullying work as “tireless” and said it had helped children in the province. Her advocacy was part of the work she and Manjit undertook after Reena’s murder.
What happened to Manjit Virk?
Manjit continued speaking publicly about Reena and the harm caused by bullying. At a 2017 memorial, he said, “The world will be a better place when all people will accept every one,” as reported by CityNews and Canadian Press.
In 2008, he published Reena: A Father’s Story, a memoir about his daughter’s life and death. During development of Under the Bridge, showrunner Samir Mehta told TheWrap, “We optioned his book and spoke with him as well, to get some of his personal stories.” Creator Quinn Shephard also said the production drew on stories in Manjit’s book that were not in Rebecca Godfrey’s book.
Those sources document Manjit’s involvement in the series’ development in 2024, but do not establish his current public status or activity as of October 8, 2026.
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How Under the Bridge portrays the family’s story
Hulu describes Under the Bridge as a dramatization based on the 1997 story of 14-year-old Reena Virk and Rebecca Godfrey’s book. Hulu lists the drama as one season of eight episodes. The series also draws on Manjit’s memoir, as its creators have said.
One important difference is the timing of the restorative-justice process. The Los Angeles Times reported that, in real life, Manjit and Suman met offenders face to face after Warren Glowatski was sentenced and extended forgiveness to him. The show moves that process earlier and compresses a longer period into a scene before his testimony. That scene is a dramatic rearrangement, not a literal reconstruction of when the meeting happened.
Hulu’s character biography describes the fictionalized Manjit Vir as becoming “a lifelong advocate against bullying and violence.” That is a description of the character in the drama, not independent evidence about the real Manjit’s current life.
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