Covid-19: Father scribbles last goodbye note to family before dying alone

Strict infection control measures restricting visitors in hospitals has tragically resulted many COVID-19 patients to die alone without the opportunity to provide comfort to their love ones.

The emotional pain and anguish of not being able to say good bye to a family member dying from Covid-19 was encapsulated in a paper that contained the last words of a father to his family.

Syafiga Humairak, 32, who is based from Penang, Malaysia, shared on social media recently that her father only managed to scribble a farewell note before he succumbed to Covid-19.

“Tolong doa dan terus solat hajat. Abah mintak maaf.” (Please continue performing your prayers. Forgive me.) Ahmad bin Ahmad Taib, 58 wrote to his wife and children.

The note which continued at the back page of the paper read “Jaga diri semua.” (Take care all). Ahmad reportedly went into a coma soon after.

“(My father) did not show any positive development. In fact, his condition deteriorated, and the doctors decided to sedate him on Monday. He wrote the notes before he was sedated. He was not able to talk. We also managed to make a video call to him before he was in a coma,” Syafiqa was quoted saying by the New Straits Times in its report.

Photos of Ahmads last note which was shared by her daughter Syafiqa on her Facebook page went viral on social media.

Syafiqa said she was not allowed to keep the sheet of paper by the medical authorities as they may have been contaminated with the coronavirus.

Ahmad was suffering from kidney disease before he tested positive for Covid-19, a week before his death at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, Perak,

Syafiqa added that most of her family members including her 1-month-old nephew had been tested positive for the virus and were not allowed to attend her father’s funeral.

“I was the only one who could attend the funeral. It is sad because I couldn’t kiss him for the last time. I could only watch him from afar. Covid-19 is no joke and no one is immune.

“It only took a week for the virus to kill my father. I hope people will take this virus seriously and observe all the safety measures set by the Health Ministry,” said Syafiqa.

Ahmad was the 325th casualty of the virus out of the total 329 recorded fatalities reported in Malaysia, up until today.