Dubai: The body of Eman Abdul Atti, the woman whose battle with her obesity grabbed the world’s attention, will be flown to her hometown of Alexandria on Tuesday. She will be buried in her hometown the same day, according to Shaima Selim, her younger sister. A hospital authority said that efforts are being made to repatriate the body either through the 1am or 3am flight.
A heart-broken Selim told Gulf News: “I really do not know what happened. Eman was getting the best treatment. She had a beautiful room, so many doctors were working on her and her health was improving; we were so hopeful. I find it difficult to believe I will no longer see my sister. The hospital team of doctors were working so hard and we could see the improvement in her. Life without Eman will never be the same. I will never forget Eman. But I know she is in a better place and in peace at last.”
Selim said that since the last few months, her sister was very happy and dreaming a lot of beginning a new life in Alexandria. “ On her 37th birthday celebration recently, Eman was positive that she would be able to return home. She had started saying she wanted to complete her education. Due to her health problems she had to drop out of school after grade five but now she was hoping to change that. She wanted a normal life like any other girl and also wanted to travel around in Egypt and see the world.”
Selim said the entire family was devastated and her mother especially was inconsolable. Selim who had dedicated all her time to Eman’s convalescence since early February this year when the sisters were flown to Mumbai suddenly feels a big void in her life. “I have in the last eight months only been devoted to this had only one goal — to take my sister back healthy and happy to our home.”
Now Selim who is an engineer and mother of a daughter, hopes to return to her regular life with her family and get back to her job.
