UAE | Education
School has been 'hit hard' by children's death
Classmates and teachers devastated by loss of Chelsea and Nathan and they are missed dearly, vice-principal says.
- By Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:04 June 22, 2009
Dubai: As Grade Two children enacted the tale of Florence Nightingale on Monday, the cherubic face of little Chelsea was missing on the stage. Her sweet voice could not be heard as her classmates sang in chorus 'Then a lantern shown'.
A lovely singer, seven- year-old Chelsea was excited she was performing in the end of term show but it was not to be. Along with her five-year-old brother, Nathan, she died of suspected food poisoning early last week. Her mother Ann-Sophie rushed them to NMC Hospital but Nathan died on June 12.
Chelsea and her mother were transferred to Dubai Hospital the next day but Chelsea could not be saved.
Students and teachers at Sheffield Private School where both children studied are still devastated by their loss.
"The school has been hit hard by their loss and Chelsea and Nathan are missed dearly by us all," said Joanna Woods, vice-principal.
Rebecca Oxley, Chelsea's class teacher said she was a lovely singer, and was enjoying their practice sessions.
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"It was quite a moving moment for us all when the children were on the stage and she wasn't just there."
She said Chelsea had a real twinkle about her.
"She was conscientious, very hard working and would giggle a lot. She had made good friendships and they all miss playing with her," said Oxley.
In Nathan's class, children are still wondering why their friend is not around.
"Some children know and some still don't. Sometimes, they understand that Nathan will not be back. But the next moment they start saying 'when he is back, we will give him this or that'," said Donna McDonald, his class teacher.
She said at first she did not want to talk about it in class but children were arguing as to what had happened to him.
"So we told them in simple terms and some do understand what has happened to him," she said.
Raqia Mujtaba, whose daughter Maha was in the same class with Nathan said her daughter was sad about what had happened to Nathan.
"They always used to play together and now that he is not there, Maha says she misses him and feels sad," said Mujtaba.
Her son Zeeshan was in Chelsea's class.
"She was very nice and I know she won't come back to the class," said Zeeshan.
The school said some parents were sensitive about discussing the topic with their children lest it could leave emotional scars.
Mahmoud, a father of a kindergarten student from the same school said he did not want to tell his son about the incident as it was difficult to talk to children about these matters.
Woods said they are planning to bring out two booklets where friends, teachers and parents can recall memories and share their thoughts about the two dear ones they have lost. "We are asking the school community for their contributions of thoughts, which will be later passed on to the family," said Woods.
Tragic: Dedicated parents
They met each other like most single people do here in Dubai - at work. Patrick, an Indian from Goa, was working with Dnata at the time. Anne-Sophie, a Frenchwoman, was working as a ground hostesses with Air France, according to close friends.
The couple got married in Goa and then also in France, according to the friend, who came to know them when Nathan was two years old.
"She [Anne-Sophie] was a wonderful mother. As you know she is French and was so very particular what she gave her children [to eat]," says one friend.
"They were very well brought up children."
Anne-Sophie apparently worked longer hours and when Patrick's colleagues would sometimes ask him to join them for an evening out, he would apologise and say he had to go home to play with the children.
The children could speak French very well.
Ann-Sophie is proficient in English. "They're a multicultural couple, like some of us here are," says the friend, a Sri Lankan. The couple's friends want some sort of closure to the tragic events.
"They need to get on with their lives. We hope and pray they have more children."
- Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter
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