We are dying to hear our daughter call out to us, say distraught parents

Umm Al Quwain: Her twin sister has gone off her food and her brother keeps going back to the site where 12-year-old Rowna'a was hit by a car.

Last Monday morning, Rowna'a Mahmoud, an Egyptian schoolgirl and her twin sister Rouda were a few minutes late for the school bus. Despite their younger brother, Ammar, repeatedly asking the bus driver who works for a private school in Umm Al Quwain to wait, he refused and left his sisters behind.

The sisters ran to a parallel road to try and intercept the bus, but a car hit Rowna'a causing multiple fractures to her ribcage and internal bleeding. She has been sedated ever since.

Dr Hanif Hassan, Minister of Education, who visited Rowna'a in hospital said he has been following up her case since the accident occurred. He said school bus drivers from both public and private schools should be trained to ensure the safety of pupils.

Forgotten

Rowna'a's parents who have been shuttling between home and hospital said they will never forgive the woman who hit Rowna'a if something tragic happens to her.

"When I saw my child's blood splattered on the road, I went numb. I just could not move," said Abeer, her mother in a voice choked with emotion.

"She is my daughter and my friend," she added.

Abeer said she knows that her child is in pain even if she receives plenty of assurances that Rowna'a is going to be all right.

"I am her mother and I know, I feel the pain she is going through," she said.

Abeer said she is equally concerned for her three other children who seemed to have forgotten how to smile. She said her friends had seen Ammar just standing at the spot where his sister was hit by the car.

"Both Ammar and Rouda keep asking me why their sister is not talking to them. They picture Rowna'a lying in a pool of blood. I hope that my beautiful girl recuperates soon," she said.

Mahmoud Ebrahim could not stop thanking God for giving his daughter back to them after everyone, including the doctors thought that chances of her surviving were slim.

"The doctors told me that my daughter has proved them wrong. She was brought to the hospital with a broken ribcage and only 15 per cent of her lungs were functioning. Now, her lungs have regained 75 per cent of the capacity," he said.

Mahmoud said that her left lung is still bleeding.

"I am worried about the long-term complications."

Both parents said that they cannot wait to hear their daughter call out for them.

"I hold her hand and keep asking her, Rowna'a, do you love mama? And when I fail to get any response from her I reply on her behalf, Yes, mama I love you," said Abeer.