Abu Dhabi Having survived a brutal attack that led to her being put into a medical coma for more than two weeks, Loujain has finally awakened.
"It is a miracle. We are so happy… words cannot express what we are feeling right now," Mahran Hussain, Loujain's older brother, told Gulf News.
"Her eyes are open, she recognises us and is interacting with us a little… she has begun asking to go home and is responding to some basic questions. Also, she is able to walk short distances, which a physiologist told us is good. He gave her some exercises to strengthen her muscles," he added.
The 11-year-old was attacked by several grade four pupils at Al Ma'ali International Private School. The incident was triggered when a friend accidentally stumbled into one of the boys.
'Fragmented memories'
"She has fragmented memories of that day… we are also concerned because there are some things she does not immediately identify with, such as her photographs, including the ones of her in the hospital bed," Mahran said.
The grade seven pupil has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC).
Among the injuries she was being treated for was a brain haemorrhage, caused when one of the boys hit her head with a glass bottle.
Aneurysm
According to Mahran, doctors explained that it caused a previously undiagnosed congenital condition called arteriovenous malformation or AVM and an aneurysm, an enlarged artery caused by a weakened blood vessel, to rupture.
"When she was first admitted, doctors immediately took her into surgery to control the bleeding… we did not know about her condition before then. She was always very healthy and this condition never appeared in any check up, so we were very surprised to learn about it," Mahran said.
"Her doctors have also told us they will schedule a catheter operation to make sure that the vein has closed… they also conducted a CT scan yesterday but we have not learnt of its results yet," he added.
Seeking justice
But even as they celebrate her remarkable recovery, Loujain's family say they will not rest until justice is served.
"We are continuing to pursue the case against those responsible in her school… but only the administrators because the boys should be held accountable but by their parents. That is why we were surprised to learn that in the courts that the four boys were named as [the defendants] in this case," Mahran said.
"The court officials told us to ask the police for a clarification, which is what we are going to do [today], since my father had originally opened the complaint against the school," he added.
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) and the police are currently investigating.
More details
As part of a statement the council released to the media on Tuesday: "Adec has immediately dispatched an investigation team to find out more details and information on the incident and on the health and safety measures taken by the school up to the time of the incident… as provided in related laws and regulations, if findings show that any school failed to provide the required type of monitoring, inspection, safety and security required, Adec has the right to take all necessary steps as stipulated in the current laws and regulations and it may get to the closure of such school according to the magnitude of the violation committed by its management."
