The tragedy and the despair: Family of youngest victim, 13, can’t be at funeral
AGED 13, he died alone in hospital, the youngest virus victim. And yesterday Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab was buried – tragically alone again.
Two of his siblings have developed symptoms, meaning they and the rest of his immediate family – including his devastated mother – had to miss his funeral.
Ismail died on Monday. The schoolboy reportedly had no underlying health conditions. Yesterday, shortly before his funeral close to the family home in Brixton, south London, family friend Mark Stephenson said: ‘We hope that we can send a live stream of the funeral to his mother and siblings so they can be there remotely, but they are obviously devastated that they can’t be there in person again.’
More than £68,000 has been raised in a fundraising appeal on GoFundMe. The family lost Ismail’s father to cancer five years ago. Mr Stephenson added: ‘It’s extremely upsetting for everyone involved, but they have been very moved by the warmth and very positive messages of support from people following their appeal.’
Ismail’s coffin was lowered into the ground by four people wearing protective clothing and face masks. Mourners stood apart from each other as they observed social distancing guidelines.
Ismail deteriorated rapidly after being taken to King’s College Hospital last Friday. Friends said he was not overweight and had loved outdoor sports. His family said in a statement: ‘Ismail was a loving son, brother, nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him.
His smile was heart-warming and he was always gentle and kind.
‘We as a family are still trying to come to terms with the sudden death of Ismail. He leaves behind six siblings who are completely devastated.’
Just over one week ago, 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab was at home with his mum, six brothers and sisters, doing what we’re all doing, watching tV, warding off boredom, isolating at home.
the healthy lad described by his family as ‘a bubble of life’ then started showing coronavirus symptoms. soon he had difficulty breathing and was raced to King’s College Hospital.
He told ambulance paramedics that when he grew up he wanted to be a vet, as he loved animals. these were Ismail’s last words. the boy with no known health issues was put on a ventilator, induced into a coma, then suffered a cardiac arrest.
He became the youngest fatality of Covid-19 in the uK.
Ismail died at 3am last Monday — without his mum, without his brothers and sisters, without anyone apart from the medical team who, we can be sure, tended him as lovingly as any strangers could.
How unimaginably heartbreaking — for him in his last hours, as well as for his family who desperately wanted to be with him but couldn’t be because of the virus.
No child should die alone. It is alien to all our instincts. No child should be without their mother at the end, robbed of her last loving words and with no hand to hold.
As a family friend said, the fact no one was able to see Ismail compounded the sense of devastation. to make things still worse, it’s emerged that none of Ismail’s family — not his mother sadiya nor his siblings — will be able to attend the funeral because two of them have developed mild symptoms, so everyone is quarantined at home.
We all understand the importance of isolation rules. But surely there should be allowances. Can’t we show compassion in cases like Ismail’s?
the Marie Curie end-of-life charity says they would like to see close family be able to visit loved ones in hospital, where possible and if it is safe to do so, arguing this is part of our duty of care to patients.
It is vital in this brutal fight against the virus that we retain our sense of humanity.
this does not mean a free for all for visits — it’s clear we need strict policies. But for a mother not to be able to visit a hospital where her son lies dying, strikes me as cruelty.
surely we can do better — and offer a stricken family the comfort they deserve?