He was just perfect!
One of the finest human beings I have ever met! I think he was everything that is desired in a human. He was good natured, loving, kind, gentle, witty, wise, caring, educated, smart,...everything except that he was unable to do anything on his own. He was completely dependent on others for his needs. So much so that he had to call someone at night to turn his sore side in bed!
His name was Mohammad Ahmad. He was the middle one of three siblings. One of the prettiest babies, he won everyone over with his smiles and giggles right from the beginning. His journey of struggles started as he began tripping over as a toddler. He was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of two which opened the doors to a never ending series of doctor visits, medications, hospitalizations, prayers and wishes.
It was an emotional roller coaster with the maximum ups, downs, loops and turns. It was a ride full of adrenaline rushes, screams, excitements, pain, promises and tears. His parents tried every possible measure that was out there or anything that they could think of or was ever suggested. They got the latest meds, top notch specialists, even took him overseas to different countries for treatment, but nothing worked. Each new medication ignited new hope that soon ended in disappointment. They even turned to non conventional measures in desperation. Someone recommended a spiritual healer whose supplications worked wonders. When they asked the healer to pray for Mohammad, he said that Mohammad should pray for him instead, as Mohammad was a soul as pure and innocent as angels.
It's not easy to raise handicapped children in developing countries. There are no facilities to make life easier for them but Mohammad's parents outdid themselves in their zeal to provide the best for him. They enrolled him in one of the best schools so that he could get proper education. When his fifth grade teacher turned down the request and refused to move the classroom to the ground floor, his father personally carried him in his arms to the second floor, daily, as there was no elevator in the building.
Years went by, Mohammad kept on growing. His body grew but his ability to maneuver and control steadily declined. The day came when he could barely hold things in his grip. All this but his spirits never wavered. His parents bought him a computer and made arrangements so that he could use the computer with his one hand. That computer became his lifeline. He actively communicated with everyone through Internet.
He designed his parents new house himself. Each and every corner was built according to his vision. He was the mastermind behind every little detail and decoration. His biggest wish in life was to see his older brother get married. He personally selected the match for his brother and was the happiest person on the day of the wedding.
Few months after the wedding, one night he chatted till the wee hours on net with his friends and his younger brother who was in his bedroom upstairs in the same house. He said goodbyes around three in the morning. An hour and a half later, his younger brother came down to check on him and he was gone.
Mohammad died but he is not dead. He lives through his legacy. Whether the Facebook notification reminds us or not, we will all remember him. He touched every soul he ever came in contact with. He was a light whose radiance will remain and illuminate our hearts forever. We miss him but at the same time we know that his suffering is over. His life was painful and extremely difficult but very precious. He taught us all how to live! He lived in that wheelchair and later in that bed but he lived a life way better than many able bodied persons, because he lived with a smile and with courage. He lived a life!
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