JOHOR BARU: Despite being neglected and abandoned at an old folks’ home by their respective families, two senior citizens found solace in each other and eventually got married in 2012.
Divorcee Habibah Abdul Rahman, 47, world collapsed when her family chased her out of their house in Ayer Hitam over a minor disagreement about seven years ago.
“I had no where to go and roamed around for six months and slept by the roadside.
“I even had to beg for food from nearby restaurants,” she said when met at the Nur Ehsan old folks’ home in Kempas.
Habibah has nine siblings but none of them were willing to take her in as they felt she would be a nuisance.
She ended up at the old folks’ home after being picked up by the police and handed over to the state Welfare Department.
However, her life turned around when she met another resident at the old folks’ home, stroke patient Mairi Manok, 60, who was abandoned by his children.
“He is wheelchair-bound and has difficulty moving around so I always helped him get food and we went on morning walks together,” she said.
Love eventually blossomed between them.
Mairi, who is also a divorcee, said having Habibah is a blessing as they are able to do things together like cooking and chores.
“I am thankful that Habibah is able to take good care of me and accept me for who I am.
“I wonder if my four children ever think about me,” said Mairi, who was paralysed from the waist down due to a stroke.
“When the caretakers saw how close we were, they asked whether we wanted to get married and we agreed,” he added.
While they have each other, Habibah had hoped her favourite sister Rodziah, who lives in Kuala Lumpur, would visit her during Hari Raya Aidilifitri.
“I miss her cooking. She is good at making my favourite asam pedas,” she said, adding that her Hari Raya would have been more meaningful if all her siblings could celebrate it with them
The home’s assistant manager Abdullah Ibrahim or better known as Pak Leh said the couple had been waiting excitedly by the home’s front gate since the first day of Hari Raya for family and friends to visit.
“But they were left disappointed,” he said, adding that Habibah was dressed in her best baju raya.
Habibah said she still has not given up hope of a visit from her family members.
“I could not hold back my tears when I saw other residents celebrating with their loved ones,” she said on the fifth day of Raya.
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