Miracle child helping to heal Grenfell pain
Survivors will never forget fire but son gives them strength
A COUPLE who survived the Grenfell Tower disaster have hailed their “miracle baby” for helping them through the bad times.
Maryam Adam was three months pregnant when she and husband Abdulwahab were forced to flee the fire that killed 72 of their neighbours five years ago today.
She had already suffered two miscarriages and feared the trauma could affect the baby.
But in November 2017, much to the Adams’ joy, Mohammed arrived a healthy boy.
Maryam, 46, still struggles daily with what she witnessed and the friends she lost in the blaze in North Kensington, west London.
The one thing that takes her and 49-year-old Abdulwahab away from Grenfell is Mohammed.
He is a bundle of energy and joy. He is also perceptive. When he sees his mum’s eyes begin to well up, he cuddles her and brings a tissue to wipe her eyes. A cheeky Mohammed grin later and Maryam is smiling again.
She said: “When Mohammed is at school, I think a lot.
“I think a lot about Grenfell, about the friends I lost, about whether I could have done more.
“Before Grenfell, I liked my own company but now when I’m on my own I just think about Grenfell.
“But then when he is back from school, it changes. He makes me smile again.
“I never thought he was going to survive.”
Abdulwahab agreed: “Obviously, you can never forget everything but having him has helped us cope with what happened. I don’t know where we would be without him.”
Maryam’s 12-week scan was one day before the disaster and she was told Mohammed might encounter problems when he was born.
She said: “They said he was not ‘normal’ and that I might want to consider an abortion. But there was no way I was going to.”
Maryam added she wants to thank all the volunteers who have helped, and continue to help, the bereaved and survivors, admitting “we would be nowhere without them”.
And she has a message for all parties involved in the Grenfell inquiry.
She said: “Everyone is pointing the finger at each other. I just want them to say sorry. Because if you escaped Grenfell, you’re not going to live normally, ever again.”
Kensington and Chelsea council did not respond to requests for comment. A series of events will be held to mark the fifth anniversary of Grenfell. A memorial service will be held at Westminster Abbey this morning. At 2pm there will be a 72-second silence at Westfield shopping centre in White City, before the victims’ names are read out over the PA. Later in the afternoon, the cordon around the tower will be removed ahead of a multi-faith service.
I just want them to say sorry. If you escaped Grenfell, you’re not going to live normally ever MARYAM ADAM HAS A MESSAGE FOR ALL PARTIES IN THE INQUIRY