TUMPAT: Sixteen-year-old Imran Muzakkir Mohd Isram and his two younger siblings became orphans after they lost their mother who died from Covid-19 last Thursday.
Their mother, Wan Suzana Wan Daud, 48, died from the coronavirus five days after she was sent to the Intensive Care Unit of the Raja Perempuan II Hospital in Kota Baru near here.
Imran together with Izmeer Muzakkir, 14, and Irdina Zafida, eight, were still reeling from the death of their father Mohd Isram Muhammad, when their mother died.
Mohd Isram was 52 when he died from kidney disease in March.
"I had asked healthcare workers at the hospital for me to become the 'imam' to lead the solat jenazah prayer for 'mama' (his late mother).
"That is the last time I could offer my 'contribution' for mama before she departed to the afterlife," said Imran.
As the eldest son in the family, Imran also took the responsibility to be involved in the burial ceremony for his 'mama', in which he was required to don a full personal protective equipment (PPE).
"All this has happened too fast, as if it was our scariest nightmare. Although I am not that strong, I must persevere for my younger brother and sister and treat what has happened as fated.
"We have lost a place for us to seek "emotional shelter" except for our closest relative," said Imran when met at his parent's house in Kampung Tujoh here today.
The fourth former at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tumpat said the last time he and his brother saw the face of their mother was through a video telephone call when Wan Suzana about to draw her last breath.
Imran added he was supposed to go for his Covid-19 vaccination jab on Sept 22 but could not do so since his mother was already in the ICU.
Covid-19 vaccination for adolescent must be accompanied by their parents or guardians.
"I was aware my mother's health condition was deteriorating but I still prayed that she would recover from the complications of the virus.
"What has happened is fated by God and perhaps Allah loves mama more," he said.
Wan Suzana was a teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pengkalan Kubor 1.
She began showing symptoms associated to the coronavirus before she was admitted to the hospital early this month after she had returned home after taking care of her mother, Hamidah Abdul Aziz, from several illnesses at the Tumpat Hospital.
Her sister-in-law, Nur Harliana Ramli, 42, said Wan Suzana and all her children were immediately referred to undergo health checks including swab test. Also referred to undergo health checks were Wan Suzana's father and mother.
"The result from the swab test returned positive for Wan Suzana and both her parents," she said.
Nur Harliana said Hamidah died on Friday morning while her husband (Wan Suzana's father) Wan Daud Wan Mat, 78, died the following day.