Egyptian Adventurer Omar Samra Speaks out About Losing His Sister to COVID-19 and The Psychological After Effects

By Scoop Team On Jun 2, 2020

Another sad day, and another victim of this pandemic. The famed Egyptian adventurer and motivational speaker, Omar Samra, announced the sad news of the passing of his eldest sister, Rania, due to COVID-19.

“In the last 2 days before her passing, we could not find one hospital bed for her. We were told that those with special needs, especially those with severe mental handicaps need to be treated at home. That her trained caretakers would not be allowed in with her. I don’t know if a hospital would have saved her life but I know that she should have gotten better care and medicine should have been more readily available,” said Samra in an emotional post on his Instagram account.

Samra expressed his sorrow to not being able to see his late sister for 3 months due to quarantine, and hence, not being next to her during her final moments. He added that his younger sister, Yasmine, is still sick with COVID-19. However, her condition is stable.

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(Part 1/2) It’s with a very heavy heart that I share the passing of my sister Rania yesterday June 1st. What makes this especially hard is that I hadn’t see her for 3 months due to quarantine, and I was not able to be with her in her final moments. Her passing was due to COVID-19 so my father had to seek special permission to be there at her burial, no one else was allowed. I know my story is not new, it’s the reality of tens of thousands around the world, but I want to take this opportunity to highlight a couple of important points before sharing with you more about her and what she meant to me. In the last 2 days before her passing, we could not find one hospital bed for her. We were told that those with special needs, especially those with severe mental handicap need to be treated at home. That her trained care takers would not be allowed in with her. I don’t know if a hospital would have saved her life but I know that she should have gotten better care and medicine should have been more readily available. Shame on every person who is taking advantage of the misery of others by selling medicine and hospital beds at multiples of their original price. They should be punished to the full extent of the law. Moreover, the government must immediately develop unique protocols for special needs cases. Hospitals must be designated for special needs and trained care takers must be staffed there and allowed to support them. Their lives matter just as much as anyone. Secondly, every person who has taken this virus lightly and especially those who have spent the last few days partying or blatantly ignoring all government directives, you should be ashamed of yourselves. We’re all in this together. You’re not free to choose what to do when other people’s lives are at risk. Freedom is a right that is earned when you can exercise good judgement and act responsibly. With cases in Egypt rising at exponential levels, we simply cannot be opening up the country. Far more restraint is needed. #RIP #covid19

A post shared by Omar Samra – عمر سمره (@omarsamra) on Jun 2, 2020 at 4:47am PDT

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(Part 2/2) Rania was the eldest of us 4 siblings. I’m the person I am today because of what her life taught me. Growing up, I saw how people looked at her differently. At best they felt sorry for her and me, usually they got scared or distanced themselves. Because of that, Rania, you taught me never to have prejudice and to always look deeper into people’s hearts and souls, never to judge a book by its cover. In my young teens, for the most part I wasn’t allowed to be out with my friends but home caring for my sisters. I was too young to understand and I often complained, but as I got older I realised how much of a blessing it was to be there for you. You taught me responsibility and how to make sacrifices for others. As I write this, my younger sister Yasmine is still sick with COVID-19. Her condition is stable but if I know anything about this virus, it’s that it’s a roller coaster. Please join me in praying for her safety and recovery. Much love to all, please be careful, and stay safe. #RIP #Tribute

A post shared by Omar Samra – عمر سمره (@omarsamra) on Jun 2, 2020 at 4:50am PDT

WE SAID THIS: May her beautiful soul rest in peace.