ABU DHABI // At the age of 22, Ahmed D had his whole life ahead of him.
A student at the Petroleum Institute, the Fujairah-born Emirati was a keen artist, had a passion for drawing and a keen interest in football.
On April 12, 2012, the student was a rear-seat passenger in a car with three friends returning home on the Abu Dhabi–Al Ain road when they were hit by a speeding vehicle. None of the four was wearing a seatbelt.
“The driver of the speeding vehicle was the only person in the other vehicle – he died on impact and the vehicle burst into flames,” said Ahmed’s father, who asked not to be named.
“Of those in the vehicle that Ahmed was occupying, his friend who was in the back with him died on impact, and the two friends in the front were fortunate to sustain only minor injuries and have managed to continue on with their lives.”
While Ahmed survived, his injuries were life-changing. He suffered multiple fractures and severe traumatic brain injury, later causing spastic quadriplegia, among other conditions.
Ahmed’s father was out of the country at the time of the accident. When he was first told, he was in “complete disbelief”.
“My family and I were obviously devastated but were grateful he was alive,” he said.
Ahmed’s daily life is one of total dependency on others, a situation that, sadly, is unlikely to change.
“When making your decisions about driving, think of the impact it could have on your and other people’s lives,” said his father.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
