The biological mother arrived after a long absence as foster parents prepared to lay the child to rest.
AJMAN: Fatima, a Filipina girl in the United Arab Emirates whose story of survival had touched many readers, has died at the age of 15 after spending more than two years in a vegetative state.
Her foster father, Syed Ali Moazzam from Pakistan, confirmed her death. Fatima had been living on a home ventilator and receiving round-the-clock care in Ajman when she was found unresponsive on Tuesday morning.
He said she had appeared stable earlier in the morning, but was later discovered unconscious and not breathing. An ambulance was called, and CPR was performed before she was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Fatima had not been in a full coma but had remained in a vegetative state for more than two years. She could open her eyes briefly and had small sleep–wake cycles, but was unable to move her body.
Her foster father, Syed Ali Moazzam, recalled that she would alternate between sleep and wakefulness, but had developed stiffness and was unable to move independently, with only limited eye movement.
Eight years of care
United Arab Emirates-based publication first reported on Fatima in 2019, when she was a young child who had been abandoned in the UAE by her biological mother and later by her initial foster caregivers.
Her mother left her when she was about one year old. She was subsequently cared for informally for around five years by a couple, before they were forced by financial difficulties to place her with friends in Ajman in December 2018.
Syed Ali Moazzam and his Filipino wife, Muozzama, later took her in and became her primary caregivers, looking after her continuously from that point onward.
Following the, Fatima’s biological mother briefly returned and helped her obtain a passport in 2020. However, Fatima was never able to secure an Emirates ID or residence visa in the United Arab Emirates. As a result, her foster parents said they were unable to legally adopt her, enroll her in school, or obtain health insurance coverage for her.
“She never managed to go to school. We have been teaching her at home, though she always longed to go to school,” Muozzama said in a 2024.
Lupus and the long battle
It was in April 2024 the report was again on Fatima after she was diagnosed with subcutaneous lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease that left her unconscious and critically ill in hospital in the United Arab Emirates.
Brain oedema followed, leaving her in a vegetative state from which she never recovered. She remained largely immobile for more than two years, dependent on a home ventilator and round-the-clock care.
Syed Ali Moazzam explained that it was lupus combined with brain oedema, along with low platelet levels, that affected her condition and led to severe brain complications.
He said the couple carried the financial burden largely on their own. While government hospitals treated Fatima during emergency admissions without charge, they had to pay for ongoing care, medication, and home medical equipment themselves.
“We did not get any support. We approached several charity organisations, but they were unable to help in the absence of an Emirates ID for her,” Moazzam said, adding that the mounting expenses even led to rent-related difficulties due to medical costs.
The lack of official documentation created persistent barriers at every stage of Fatima’s care, including access to health insurance, eligibility for charitable assistance, and any legal pathway to adoption in the United Arab Emirates.
“We were the ones providing for all her medical and other needs,” Syed Ali Moazzam said, describing how the foster family bore the full responsibility of her care.
“She loved the UAE”
Despite her difficult circumstances, Fatima remained cheerful and resilient, with a spirit that deeply touched those around her in the United Arab Emirates.
Her foster father, Syed Ali Moazzam, recalled that she loved the UAE and its leadership, and even created video blogs about her daily life. In them, she spoke openly about her struggle to obtain legal documents while also sharing messages of encouragement.
“She would tell other kids to stay brave, smart and never give up,” he said, remembering how she tried to inspire others despite her own challenges.
“We took care of her when she was healthy and when she fell sick also. No child should go through what our Fatima has gone through. We hope she is in a better place and rests in eternal peace,” Syed Ali Moazzam said.
Biological mother returns
He added that Fatima’s biological mother—who had been largely absent for years and had only visited once during Fatima’s hospital stay—returned after being informed of her death in the United Arab Emirates.
“Now her responsibility is over and she has come over,” Moazzam said quietly.
Report says that it was unable to reach Fatima’s biological mother for comment.
The foster parents are coordinating with authorities in Ajman to arrange Fatima’s funeral, and she is expected to be laid to rest in the United Arab Emirates once the necessary clearance is obtained. A forensic report concluded that her death was due to natural causes.
