Tragic mother of miracle quads was ‘infected working at Heathrow job’
She told the kids: I am not going to come back ... my life is finished
A MOTHER of ‘miracle quadruplets’ who died of coronavirus feared she was infected at Heathrow Airport while working for British Airways, her heartbroken husband has said.
Shabnum Sadiq, 39, was employed as a customer care relations manager for BA at Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Before falling ill she had told her husband of her fears about catching the virus from Chinese passengers.
Mrs Sadiq, who was also a Labour councillor in Slough, developed a cough a few days before she travelled to Pakistan with her husband to attend a family wedding.
Devastated Khizran Sadiq, 39, said that two days before she was hospitalised, his wife of 23 years told their five children in a final Skype call: ‘I am not going to come back, and that’s it, my life is finished.’
Not realising the seriousness of the situation, Mr Sadiq recalled: ‘I said to her, “Why are you being stupid? Why are you talking like that? It’s nothing like that.” The kids thought she was tired and was being a drama queen.’
Mrs Sadiq suddenly collapsed two days later but two hospitals in Islamabad refused to admit her over fears she would spread the disease.
Eventually she was admitted to the city’s PIMS Hospital, where she tested positive for the virus. She spent 24 days on a ventilator before she died last Monday.
Before the trip, Mr Sadiq said his wife had been anxious about catching the virus at work. He said: ‘She mentioned that she might catch the coronavirus because she was dealing with all these Chinese flights.’
A tearful Mr Sadiq said he told their eldest daughter, 20, and the quadruplets, 13, on a WhatsApp video call: ‘Your mum is no more.’
The part-time boxing judge buried his wife in her native village, about an hour’s drive from the capital Islamabad, on Thursday. He said that he is now stranded in Pakistan after all BA flights were cancelled, and seats on PIA, the national carrier, are sold out for weeks.
In 2006, Mrs Sadiq was told by her doctors that she was pregnant with quadruplets. Her doctors told her to keep one baby but terminate the others, as it would be dangerous for her to give birth to all but she decided to have all four, and successfully gave birth by caesarean.
‘To be honest, I was more scared at that time than by the coronavirus. I thought if she can go through that, then she can manage this,’ said Mr Sadiq.
Mrs Sadiq was the second Heathrow worker to die from Covid-19, after Sudhir Sharma, 67, an immigration officer, died last month.
On Friday, BA cabin service director Ian Johnson, who was not based at the airport, died at St Thomas’ Hospital where he was being treated alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Last night, BA said: ‘Our thoughts are with Shabnum’s family and friends at this very sad time.’
It also emerged yesterday that a Liverpool fan who featured in an iconic photo from the Hillsborough disaster has died from coronavirus. The image of Dave Roland crying into his scarf during the 1989 tragedy was beamed around the world.
The father of two, 65, who worked in the timber trade, died last Monday at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.
Coronavirus also claimed the life of actress Hilary Heath, 74, who appeared in films Witchfinder General and Wuthering Heights.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that at least 19 medics have died treating Covid-19 patients. Mother-oftwo Elsie Sazuze, 44, who worked as a nurse in a care home, fell ill at home in Erdington, Birmingham.
Her husband, Ken Sazuze, said his wife called him at home before being put on a ventilator. He said: ‘She started telling me, “Ken, if I don’t come back, be strong, I love you, be strong for the kids”.’
Another nurse, Amor Padilla Gatinao, 50, who worked at St Charles Hospital, West London, died after falling ill on Mother’s Day.
Her family suspect Ms PadillaGatinao, who suffered from asthma, type-2 diabetes and hyperthyroidism, caught the virus at work where she did not have the right protective clothing.
Her daughter, Allysa Gatinao, 24, said: ‘There is a shortage of PPE in hospitals. Matt Hancock can’t deny this as the evidence is there.’
Another medic, Sister Leilani Dayrit, 47, based at St Cross Hospital in Rugby, died after self-isolating at home.
Catherine Sweeney, 64, a home carer with West Dunbartonshire Council, died at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital on April 4.
Janice Graham, 58, a healthcare support worker and district nurse, died at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Renfrewshire, last Monday.
Tributes were also paid to Julie Omar, 52, who worked at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, after she died last Friday.