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The motorcyclist who was attacked with a meat cleaver in a road rage incident along the Federal Highway last week has shared a personal account of the ordeal, revealing that what stayed with him most was not the violence, but the kindness he received afterwards
In a Facebook post published earlier today, 16 June, after his discharge from hospital, Abu Mishary Mohd Fairus recounted the events that followed the attack, from undergoing surgery and attending a police identification parade to unexpectedly finding himself at the centre of a viral news story.
"Last Thursday, I lived through a traumatising ordeal," he wrote.
Abu Mishary was attacked on the morning of 11 June while riding to work along the motorcycle lane near Section 13 in Shah Alam.
Police previously said the 45-year-old had honked at another motorcyclist who was blocking his path. The suspect became enraged before attacking him with a meat cleaver.
The incident left Abu Mishary with severe injuries to his face and arms, requiring hospital treatment and surgery
Thankfully, he said, the treatment went well, and he expressed gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who cared for him.
He also injected humour into his account, joking about the powerful painkillers administered during his stay.
"I was introduced to a pharmaceutical lineup featuring adrenaline, fentanyl, and a few other substances whose names I probably couldn't pronounce, even before the fentanyl," he wrote in a surprisingly upbeat tone.
"I now understand why hospitals keep that stuff under lock and key.
"The doctors stitched me back together nicely, and I now look significantly more badass than I did a week ago. If scars are supposed to tell stories, mine appears to have skipped straight to the director's cut."
As part of the police investigation, Abu Mishary was also required to attend an identification parade.
"That's another thing I never expected to experience in life. It's one of those things you see in crime dramas and police procedurals on television and think, 'Well, that will never be me.'
"Apparently, life had other plans."
The attack went viral while he was still in hospital
Abu Mishary said one of the strangest parts of the experience was watching news of the attack spread online while he was still recovering.
"The case went viral.
"For a couple of days, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and complete strangers were discussing an incident that I was still trying to process myself," he said, noting that journalists and members of the public were trying to identify the victim while he remained in a hospital bed recovering from surgery.
"Meanwhile, the victim in question was lying in a hospital bed, heavily medicated and trying to remember what day it was.
"One moment, I was an ordinary guy minding my own business. The next, I seemed to be the answer to a question half the Internet was asking: 'Who was the guy attacked with the cleaver?'"
Reflecting on the sudden attention, he joked that becoming the subject of a viral news story was never part of his plans.
"I have to admit, if I was ever going to go viral, this was not the career path I had in mind."
What he remembers most is the kindness he received
Despite the traumatic nature of the attack, Abu Mishary said the experience ultimately left him with a deeper appreciation for the people around him.
"But as I look back on everything that happened, I realise the story was never really about the attack.
"What I remember most is the kindness."
He said family members, friends, colleagues, leaders, and even people he barely knew reached out with messages, visits, prayers, and words of encouragement.
One moment that particularly stood out was a visit from one of his senior superiors, who brought him a meal and insisted on feeding him while he recovered.
Feeling embarrassed, Abu Mishary said he told his visitor that he did not want to trouble him.
The superior replied: "No, no, no. You're about the same age as my son. I treat this as if I'm looking after my own son."
"Those words stayed with me," Abu Mishary wrote.
He ended the post by thanking everyone who supported him throughout his recovery and reflecting on the lesson he took away from the experience.
"People can surprise you. Sometimes in terrible ways. But very often in beautiful ones."
"And if there is one thing this experience taught me, it is that even on some of the darkest days of your life, you may discover just how many people are quietly rooting for you," he added.
