KUALA LUMPUR: For the families and loved ones of those on board flight MH370, time has never erased the sense of loss.
Life goes on as usual, but every time the date of March 8 arrives, memories of their beloved come to mind.
Nurlaila Ngah @ Awang, 52, the wife of senior flight steward LS Wan Swaid Wan Ismail, said her longing for her husband has never faded, even after 12 years.
For a time, she said, she could not bring herself to eat – or even look at – his favourite foods, pineapple tarts and laksam.
Nurlaila, who had previously served as a Malaysia Airlines staff member herself, said she would sometimes visit Kuala Lumpur International Airport whenever she missed him.
“I now live in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, so the airport is not far from my house.
“Whenever I miss him, I go to the airport. I’ll go to the observation deck and watch the planes ... to ease the longing.
“But when I see the planes, I end up crying,” she said, adding that the trauma of the tragedy continues to affect her.
Even now, her heart races whenever she sees a flight crew, and she still feels afraid to board an aircraft.
Sharing how she carried on with life after the loss, Nurlaila expressed gratitude that Allah had eased her path, though she acknowledged that it was not easy raising three children as a single mother.
“Alhamdulillah, my children are all grown up now. The eldest is 24, the second is 22, and the youngest is 20.
“We’ve continued with our lives as best as we can.
“My eldest son is currently pursuing a degree in civil engineering at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam, and he is close to completing his studies.
“My second son is pursuing a degree in software engineering at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, while my youngest daughter is doing a diploma programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Seri Iskandar, Perak.”
“My children have also come to understand the loss of their father,” she told Bernama.
She also expressed gratitude to the Malaysian government for continuing the search.
“I would like to thank the government, Malaysia Airlines, and especially the people of Malaysia, who have always been very caring and who continue to pray for us,” she said.
Grace Subathirai Nathan, 38, whose mother, Anne Daisy, was a passenger on flight MH370, acknowledged that the past 12 years have not been easy for her family, particularly in the early days following the disappearance.
“It took time for us to process the information.
“At first, we didn’t know what happened, and even now we still don’t know what happened, but I think over time it has become easier to deal with,” she said when contacted.
Grace, a lawyer, said that one of the biggest challenges her family faced was adjusting to the loss of a loved one and the sudden changes in their daily lives.
What is most heartbreaking, she said, is realising that the person they long for is no longer there to share life’s important moments.
“My mum wasn’t there at my graduation, my mum wasn’t there for my wedding, and she didn’t get to meet her grandchildren,” said the mother of two.
“Those are the moments when you miss them the most.”
Despite the loss, Grace said she was deeply touched by the support her family received from many people following MH370’s disappearance.
“I find that people are very sympathetic, and a lot of people do care.
“Especially in the first 10 years, we organised remembrance events to mark each passing year.
“Many people were very generous – some sponsored LCD screens, while others helped us with venues and coordination,” she said.
