ALOR STAR: Ismail Mohamad and his wife Nadzifah Abu Seman were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first child in four months, a precious blessing following Nadzifah's previous unsuccessful pregnancy.
Tragically, Ismail's hopes and dreams were shattered when he found out that his 28-year-old wife was killed in a crash, along with their unborn child today, just a week before the couple's second wedding anniversary.
Also killed in the tragic crash was Nadzifah's mother Romadiah Ismail, 65.
Ismail, 28, a logistics company worker, said he did not expect that his wife's wishes to pose for a picture near a beach in Perlis together yesterday, was a foreshadowing of tragedy.
"We were both excited for our future together, we were going to start a family, our baby is due late April next year. We haven't even planned what to get for our baby, we haven't found out whether it's a girl or boy.
"It broke my heart, I'm shocked but I accept it as Allah's will. She was a good wife and companion, she was always there to cheer me up when I'm down," he said when met at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital's Forensic Unit here today.
Nadzifah, a housewife and the youngest of seven siblings, along with her unborn baby and mother, were killed in a crash involving three cars and a 10-tonne lorry near Kampung Kolon in Pokok Sena earlier today.
Ismail said his wife and mother-in-law were on the way from home in Taman Pertama Pokok Sena to visit her sister who was warded at the Kedah Medical Centre in Alor Star.
"I last saw my wife this morning at 9am, she was going to visit her sister who was warded at a hospital in Alor Star with her mother. She took her sister's Perodua Bezza.
"I didn't feel like anything was amiss and I just told her to drive safe. Little that I know, it would be our last conversation," he added.
Recalling the tragedy, Ismail rushed to the scene after neighbours told him about an accident which claimed the lives of two victims along the Alor Star-Pokok Sena trunk road near Kampung Kolon.
"At first, I tried calling my wife and mother-in-law when I heard about the accident but no one picked up, I felt very uneasy and rushed to the scene.
"Upon arrival, I saw a blue car completely crushed and two victims trapped in it. When I saw what I believed was my mother-in-laws hands, I was expecting the worst.
"When they've confirmed that it was indeed the car that belonged to my sister-in law, my world crumbled," he added.
Ismail said he is demanding an apology from the lorry driver for causing the death of his loved ones.
Meanwhile, he added that his family are expecting to hold the funeral at Bukit Lala Islamic Cemetery in Pokok Sena later today.
Earlier, it was reported that in the 9.55am incident, the unloaded lorry, travelling from Alor Star crashed into a Perodua Bezza, Perodua Axia and a Toyota Hilux coming from the opposite direction.
State Fire and Rescue Department officer Ahmad Aminudin Abd Rahim said the driver of the Perodua Axia, identified as Nur Fathi Rahman, 26, suffered serious injuries while the lorry driver and Toyota Hilux driver suffered minor injuries.