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

Liaquat and Zaheeda Khan brought their daughter Wajedah Ally, (34) to the coast in a bid to bring about an improvement in her condition, which she has suffered for six years.

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The family had gotten in touch with Wesley Smith after seeing videos of Wheels on Waves on Facebook.

Smith said, “I met the Khan family this morning. It was quite challenging to get Wajedah into the chair as she is completely immobile, but the Amanzimtoti lifeguards were brilliant. I would like to take this opportunity 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.”

The family are based in Johannesburg, but their roots are in Umzinto. Wajedah’s mother, Zaheeda, said that her daughter was expecting twins and was in her final year of studies towards her degree in education, so that she could pursue her dream job. Tragically, there were complications during childbirth which left her with multiple disabilities.

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“One baby survived while the other baby died at birth. She had pre-eclampsia and the very 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 very 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 causes it to swell up. She suffered multiple organ failure. She’s only 34 and we don’t even know if she is aware she has a son,” said 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,” said Zaheeda.

If people with disabilities would like to experience the ocean and have fun at Amanzimtoti, contact Wheels On Waves on 064 880 0834 or email wheelsonwaves24@gmail.com.

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