A GP mother has paid tribute to her ‘beautiful, bright and talented’ daughter, 18, who drowned while on holiday to the Netherlands to celebrate completing her A-levels.
Afaf Ahmed, of Coventry, tragically got caught in choppy waters while on a trip with friends that her proud mother Dr Hanan Abdelaziz took them on as a post-exams treat.
The teenager died in August while swimming with friends in the seaside resort of Scheveningen, The Hague, near Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, a lighthouse and popular tourist attraction.
After witnessing the tragic events of that day, Dr Abdelaziz has been trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of her only child: ‘She was a beautiful person, both inside and out.
‘I raised her as a single parent to be kind and brave and strong, and she was all of those things and more. She was my best friend, my soulmate, and living without her is so hard.
‘She was a talented dancer, pianist, and guitarist. She was a beautiful singer and could hit all the high notes in the choir. She loved to help children, she even taught dance for free. She touched so many people’s lives and cared so much for others.’
After working hard at her A-levels, taking extra tutelage outside school to ensure her success, Afaf was due to start studying biomedical sciences at the University of Liverpool just one month after she died – planning to later train as a dentist.
Her mother started a charity in December called Afaf Above The Water to serve people in need both in their hometown of Coventry and the wider world. A performance by local dance students, called Aqua, will take place in Afaf’s memory at the end of this month – in which her mother will perform too.
Afaf Ahmed (pictured), 18, of Coventry, tragically got caught in choppy waters while on a trip with friends that her proud mother Dr Hanan Abdelaziz took them on as a post-exams treat
The teenager died in August while swimming with friends in the seaside resort of Scheveningen, The Hague, near Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, a lighthouse and popular tourist attraction. Pictured: Afaf and her mother Dr Hanan Abdelaziz in the Netherlands shortly before she died
The young woman was a much-loved pupil at King Henry VIII School in Coventry, serving as a role model to younger students in her role as a prefect.
The school described her as ‘a shining star’ when she died and have since planted a tree on the grounds in her honour.
In the wake of her daughter’s devastating death, Dr Abdelaziz started looking for ways to make sure her legacy – of kindness, dedication to helping the less fortunate and passion for creative performance – lived on.
She therefore decided to create the charity Afaf Above The Water – named poignantly for the moment she last saw her only daughter alive – to serve people in need both in Coventry and the wider world, a fitting mirroring of Afaf’s selflessness.
Dr Abdelaziz said: ‘I always taught my daughter to be a strong woman, a good human being and to be resilient.
‘I cannot let her down, I have to try and be all the things she was. I am so very, very sad but I’m so proud of the woman Afaf was turning into.’
She added: ‘Afaf would put a smile on anyone’s face she met, she was a beautiful person, and my heart is still breaking.
‘But I’m determined to keep her memory alive, to tell the world about who she was, and to celebrate the wonderful person she was.’
After working hard at her A-levels, taking extra tutelage outside school to ensure her success, Afaf (pictured) was due to start studying biomedical sciences at the University of Liverpool just one month after she died – planning to later train as a dentist
Globally, the organisation will fundraise to help meet the daily needs of orphans, work with governments and NGOs to provide health education and construct clean water resources for areas without safe drinking water.
It will also help those in financial difficulty cover their costs so they can support their children and provide people in need with essential everyday items.
Closer to home, the charity will work with Coventry City Council to keep the city bright, clean and welcoming. It will also facilitate voluntary services to help the bereaved, support patients suffering from cancer and chronic illnesses and help elderly people with their daily needs and alleviate loneliness.
The charity has organised events open to the public over the coming days – including a dance and performance extravaganza titled Aqua at The Albany Theatre in Coventry on March 31.
The show – put on by family, friends and staff at Pattison College where Afaf studied as a younger child – will feature dozens of performances from dance schools across Coventry and a former Pattison student who is now a West End performer.
Dr Abdelaziz is also set to take part in some of the dances at what is sure to be an emotional evening.
The organisation will also host a day of art, colouring, painting, games and technology lessons, for all ages, at the Salvation Army’s Harnall Lifehouse in Coventry on March 28, from 1-4pm.
