KUALA LUMPUR: SHE is facing the toughest test of her life, but Mardiani Mahdi, wife of Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight attendant Shaikh Mohd Noor Mahmood, is able to see beyond the dark clouds.
It is her resolve to make the best of any silver linings that come her way, just so her children could have in her their pillar of strength.
The questions from the couple’s children about the fate of Shaikh, the only cabin crew whose remains have not been found and returned to the country, have been incessant.
To her 13-year-old son, Zulhilmi, she tells him the situation could have been worse as he could have lost both his parents on that ill-fated July 17.
She told the New Straits Times that after the MH370 tragedy, she had made a pact with Shaikh to never again make arrangements to be rostered together, as they did before.
Mardiani was originally supposed to be on the flight but in keeping to the pact, she swapped duties with Mastura Mustafa, 40.
Mastura remains were the first to be received with full military honour on Aug 22, the National Day of Mourning.
“Mastura and I were best friends, but that could have been me on that flight,” she said, repeatedly thanking her lucky stars that she did not leave her children orphaned.
“I am a MAS flight attendant myself... after (the disappearance of) MH370, we took a friend’s advice against doing joint duty because if anything were to happen to our flight, or us, the impact would be too great on the children.
“I told my son that we should be thankful that Mama wasn’t on that flight with Papa and that at least I am still with him,” said Mardiana, who first met Shaikh when they were both assigned to an
Amsterdam-bound flight years ago.
To help her youngest cope with her loss, Mardiani, puts on a home-made video for Siti Darwiysha Zulaika, 2, to watch every night before her bedtime.
The two-minute video which was made available to the New Straits Times (see www.nst.com.my) showed their family moments, including several scenes which showed the little girl sitting on her father’s shoulder, wrapping her arm around his head.
“She will take my smartphone and turn the video on herself... she watches it every night until she dozes off.
“Zulaika will call out to him, “Walid, Walid” and she will make that look like she’s wondering where her father is... the video is artificial link between Zulaika and her father. I noticed that of late, she seems to be closer to her male relatives, I guess that is how she is trying to heal.”
Mardiani said she had not explained to her daughter what
had actually happened to her father.
Mardiani said Shaikh’s brother put the video together a week after the tragedy as Zulaika started getting frequently ill and crying at night for her father.
The 42-year-old said that while what happened to the flight that her husband was on was clear, she is hopeful.
“The whole family is anxiously waiting for news of Shaikh’s identification and we are all acting as if he is still alive... still sending text messages to him through Whatsapp.
“We know that the authorities have said all victims perished,
but miracles can happen
and God’s power is above everything.”
Mardiani is scheduled to be rostered again later this month.