PETALING JAYA: “Sayang, I am not strong... My children and I still need him.”
Stephanie Essah’s desperate plea for her husband, Alexson Adit, captured the quiet agony gripping families in Miri following Tuesday’s tragic helicopter crash in Sarawak.
As relatives gathered to face the unthinkable, emotional tributes poured in for the five victims – dedicated healthcare workers and a pilot – who lost their lives on a mission of service.
Alexson, a medical assistant aboard the ill-fated flight, died alongside Health Ministry colleagues Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, staff nurse Debra Moset, staff nurse Jessie Paya Jok, and pilot Capt Zainol Afiq Bee Sham.
In a heartwrenching post, Stephanie said her family still needed her husband.
“Please bring back my husband,” she said, adding that she had been hoping for a miracle upon hearing about the crash.
Tributes also poured in for Debra and Jessie from fellow registered nurse Christina Elvira, who shared memories of her former colleagues on Facebook.
“Rest in peace, my bestie. I still can’t believe you’re gone. Thank you for all the memories, laughter and beautiful moments we shared,” Christina wrote in a message to Debra.
“You may no longer be here with us, but you will always have a special place in my heart.”
In a separate post dedicated to Jessie, Christina recalled a moment when her friend had prayed for her.
“God loves you. May your soul rest in peace, Kak Jessie Paya,” she said.
Dr Ainul’s sister-in-law, Nureez Mohd Pauzi, told news portal mStar that the late doctor was based in Miri and regularly flew into interior regions to deliver care to remote communities.
“Jihad on the path of Allah. Going on duty to fulfil the trust through the Flying Doctor Service,” Nureez wrote, adding that family members had arrived in Miri to assist authorities with identification procedures.
Meanwhile, the family of pilot Zainol Afiq recalled their final interaction with him the night before the incident.
His father, Bee Sham Ahmad, 59, told Bernama his son had called his mother, Zaiton Muda, for an extended video conversation.
“He always called us, but the night before yesterday, he had a video call with his mother for more than an hour and a half... little did we know that it would be his last call,” Bee Sham said, adding that another of his children later broke the news of the crash to the family.
