Mosque to be built in memory of UAE resident, 29, who died in Dubai crash

Dubai: A mosque will be built in Egypt to honour the memory of Amr Hesham, the 29-year-old UAE resident who died in a car crash in Dubai on Saturday, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and charity.

The initiative has been taken up through the Ajman-based International Charity Organisation (ICO), with an estimated cost of Dh133,300 for the construction.

Among the first to contribute were Amr's grieving family, who continue to cope with the devastating loss of their only remaining son.

As Gulf News first reported, Amr died in a car crash at Arjan Roundabout in Dubai on Saturday morning. The tragedy struck the Egyptian expat family in Sharjah 11 years after they had lost their younger son, Kareem, in another road accident in 2014.

Donations pour in

Donations are pouring in through the website of the International Charity Organisation. As of Wednesday evening, 72 per cent of the amount (around Dh95,000) was collected, according to the ICO.

The mosque will be constructed with an area of 100 square metres and will accommodate 150 worshippers. It will feature a concrete roof, minaret, ablution area, and two restrooms, in addition to being fully furnished and equipped with a sound system.

Charitable legacy lives on

At the time of his death, Amr worked as project manager of initiatives and programmes at the Saeed Ahmed Lootah Charity Foundation in Dubai, where he oversaw several charity projects.

Friends and colleagues remembered him as "the kindest soul" who dedicated his life to helping others. His best friend, Soni Idrees, had told Gulf News that Amr was "charitable, charming, and caring" and someone who always put others before himself.

Imran Idrees, another close friend, described Amr as “a gem of a human” who "saw the good in everyone, even when they couldn't see it themselves."

Family's heartbreak

Amr's parents, Dr Hesham Abdel Halim, head of student activities and supervisor of the Scout Tribes at the University of Sharjah, and Yasmeen Hesham, were both hospitalised after falling ill from grief following their son's death.

Though both were discharged later, Dr Hesham became weaker after attending a condolence meeting on Tuesday, resulting in his being hospitalised again.

Born and raised in the UAE, Amr was laid to rest next to his brother Kareem in Sharjah.