Royal family visit brings hope to young Proton X50 crash survivor recovering after losing six family members
KEPALA BATAS: The recovery journey of three-year-old Aulia Sofea Ahmad Shafiq, the sole survivor of a tragic road accident in Sungai Petani that claimed the lives of six family members, received a boost after she was visited by the Kedah royal family.
Aulia Sofea, who is now under the care of her paternal aunt in Bertam, was visited by Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah ibni Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin, Raja Puan Muda of Kedah Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Mohamad Ariff, and their daughter Tunku Zara Bahiyah.
During the visit, the royal family presented assistance to support Aulia Sofea’s care and also opened a National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) account for the child as preparation for her future education.
Aulia Sofea’s aunt, Siti Nor Atikah Ahmad Syukri, 32, said the child’s condition has continued to improve since being discharged from Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar, on July 2 after almost a month of medical treatment.
She described Aulia Sofea’s survival and recovery as a miracle, saying the child had shown encouraging progress despite suffering serious injuries in the accident.
“To us, she is a miracle because initially we thought her chances of survival were very low. However, her recovery has been very encouraging and she continues to improve.
“She is active like other children, but she still cannot walk because both her legs were fractured. She has a follow-up appointment with an orthopaedic specialist on July 26,” she said.
Siti Nor Atikah said Aulia Sofea also suffered head injuries and serious trauma to her left eye, including a ruptured eyeball, following the crash.
Doctors managed to perform surgery to save the injured eye, but her future vision remains uncertain pending further medical evaluations.
“The doctors said there is a possibility that she may regain her sight, but her vision could be affected. There is also a possibility that she may not be able to see. We are still waiting for further assessment results,” she said.
The tragedy has also deeply affected Siti Nor Atikah’s family, as she lost her youngest son, seven-year-old Iskandar Affan Ibrahim, in the same accident.
She said Aulia Sofea regained consciousness about two weeks after the incident and was later informed that her parents had passed away.
Siti Nor Atikah expressed her appreciation to the Kedah royal family for taking the time to visit Aulia Sofea, describing the gesture as a meaningful sign of compassion and concern towards families facing difficult circumstances.
Meanwhile, her husband Ibrahim Ghazali, 39, said the couple plans to raise Aulia Sofea as their own child while waiting for the completion of legal guardianship procedures.
He said Aulia Sofea has adapted well to her new surroundings as she is surrounded by cousins who have always shared a close relationship with her.
“Our children and their cousins have always been close. Aulia Sofea enjoys staying here because her cousins are always around,” said Ibrahim, who works as a lorry driver.
The fatal accident occurred at around 3.50pm on June 7, when the Proton X50 sport utility vehicle carrying the family collided with a lorry while travelling from Penang to Merbok.
Those who died in the crash were Aulia Sofea’s parents, Ahmad Shafiq Ahmad Shukri, 27, and Jamaliah Sannusi, 29, her two-month-old brother Ahmad Mikail, grandmother Nora Mhd Husin, 55, uncle Ahmad Fahim Ahmad Shukri, 27, and cousin Iskandar Affan Ibrahim, seven.
Despite the immense loss, Aulia Sofea’s recovery has become a source of hope for her extended family, who remain committed to providing her with care, support and a future filled with opportunities.
