news

Nurse Finally Gets To Meet Her Blind Parents After Being Forced To Stay Away For 3 Months

A long-awaited reunion.

Cover image via Danial Saad/Harian Metro & Danial Saad/New Straits Times

Earlier this week, Nurul Rafidah Jaafar, a nurse working at the UiTM Private Specialist Centre (PPUiTM) in Sungai Buloh, was finally reunited with her blind parents who live in Permatang Pauh, Penang

She met them on Monday, 22 June, at their home in Taman Ara Indah after over three months of not being able to see her parents due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO).

According to Audrey Dermawan of New Straits Times, they hugged each other as soon as the 29-year-old nurse arrived at her parents' with her husband Mohd Irfan Imanullah Murad.

"It was a long-awaited reunion," said the report.

Nurul had been apart from her parents for 99 days as she left for Kuala Lumpur on 15 March. Three days later, the MCO came into effect.

While the MCO was lifted on 9 June, Nurul was only able to travel this week, making it the first time in her life that she had been away from her parents for such an extended period.

"There is no other gift more precious than our daughter and son-in-law's return. We missed and yearned for them but could not meet due to the MCO," 57-year-old Hamidah Mustaffa was quoted as saying.

"So, every day, we would talk to each other via video and voice calls."

The parents also got the chance to celebrate their daughter's birthday

Nurul's birthday was on 11 June, however, the parents decided to celebrate the day with a cake.

Nurul with her parents Hamidah and Jaafar Hashim.

Image via Danial Saad/New Straits Times

According to Nurul, her mother was unable to see from birth while her father suffered vision problems when he was two years old

Her brother, 27-year-old Mohamad Shukri Jaafar, is a medical assistant at the army camp in Sungai Petani.

She said that she was grateful, even if it meant she was only back for a night.

"Every day, I worry about my parents' wellbeing and I prayed for them. I am glad that they are doing very well. In fact, they have become 'rounder' since the last time I saw them," Nurul said.

Last week, a man from Sarawak, finally returned home thanks to the kindness of Good Samaritans who gave him a lift to KLIA:

Read more recent stories on SAYS:

You may be interested in: