Abu Dhabi: When Shariq Alvi, 27, came to Abu Dhabi from New Delhi in September last year, it was a dream come true for his family. His move to the Gulf to take up a bank sales job meant a huge uplift for them as they were from a modest background. But one year down the line, the dream has turned into a veritable nightmare.
“I don’t know what my son did to deserve this,” said Shariq’s father Mehboob Alvi, yet to get over the shock of his son lying in a coma at a private hospital.
A desperate father, he said: “Shariq is just 27 and cannot leave us. He has a whole future waiting for him and has to get back on his feet again.”
In what he described as a cruel twist of fate, Alvi said Shariq suffered a massive brain haemorrhage after his blood pressure shot up abnormally high on March 12. “Shariq would get up early to do his namaz. But that morning, at around 5am, we found him unconscious in the bathroom. Luckily, the door was not locked and we were able to rush him to hospital,” recalled Alvi. “We never knew his stint here (in hospital) would take so long. It has been over six months now, but I will not give up hope. I have faith in Allah and appeal to kindhearted residents to join in our prayers for him.”
What made matters worse is the mounting hospital bills which Alvi cannot afford to pay. “Shariq was the only breadwinner in the family. His insurance has already provided the maximum cover of Dh230,000. We still have an equivalent amount to pay. But we have no means to do it. And unless we continue his treatment and provide him physiotherapy, we cannot hope for his recovery.”
A former sales staff with a bank, Shariq has left his ex-colleagues in an equal measure of shock. “Shariq was so well-behaved, soft spoken and lovable. Today, he lies in hospital with his eyes wide open and without any senses. The family cannot pay the outstanding bills and the hospital doesn’t have the necessary facilities to further treat him. Shariq’s parents have gone from door to door to arrange support and further treatment. We have been trying to do what little we can but there’s a long way to go,” said a former colleague.
She said Alvi had no source of income after his real estate business went bust and the family is struggling to cope with day-to-day expenses, let alone pay Shariq’s hospital bills. “Any help from anyone would be very much appreciated, if not at least your prayers,” she said.
Editor's note:
Dear Readers,
Thank you for writing to XPRESS and offering to support Shariq Alvi
You may directly contact his father Mehboob Alvi at +971501863534
