A disabled woman from Johannesburg got to experience the ocean after her family collaborated with the charitable organisation, Wheels on Waves, and Amanzimtoti Beach lifeguards during their recent holiday to KZN’s South Coast.

Liaquat and Zaheeda Khan brought their daughter Wajedah Ally (34) to the coast in the hope that it would improve her condition, which she has suffered for six years.

The family contacted Wesley Smith from the organisation after seeing videos of Wheels on Waves on Facebook.

“It was quite challenging to get Wajedah into the chair as she is completely immobile, but the Amanzimtoti lifeguards were brilliant,” says Smith.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to the Amanzimtoti Beach lifesavers for always assisting the disabled, in and out of the ocean, professionally, vigilantly and always with a smile.”

While the family is based in Johannesburg, their roots are in Umzinto.

Zaheeda says her daughter was expecting twins and was in her final year of studies towards her degree in education. She wanted to pursue her dream job. Tragically, there were complications during childbirth which left her with various disabilities.

“One baby survived but the other baby died at birth. Wajedah had pre-eclampsia and the next day, her lungs started failing. The next day, her eyesight went and she told her husband, ‘I can’t see you, where are you?’ The next week, she told me, ‘Mummy, I’m dying. I love you.’

“I was sitting in the ward the next morning and saw doctors rushing in – she had heart failure. They took too long to resuscitate her, so she had cerebral edema (fluid in the brain), which caused it to swell. She suffered multiple organ failure. She’s only 34 and we don’t even know if she is aware she has a son,” says Zaheeda.

The family have not heard Wajedah’s voice since.

Her son, who Zaheeda says is a healthy, happy, friendly child, tells his mum that she needs to get better now so that she can take him to the park.

“If I have to take a ‘selfie’ and tell her, she smiles. The word ‘go’ is a magic word because whenever we say we are going to go somewhere, she reacts to it.

“She loved the beach, especially the tidal pools at Preston Beach. She loves swimming. Because she loved the water, we’re hoping that something can trigger – we’re hoping for a miracle. I strongly believe that she’s trying to step out of it but she just can’t. We believe that she understands,” says Zaheeda.