Up and down 4 flights of stairs: devoted husband's love for paralysed wife

Free Malaysia Today

2 days ago

Ah Yauddin Ahmad carrying his wife Roslina Yusuf, who is paralysed, up to and down from their fourth-floor flat in Meru, Klang.
KLANG : An elderly man slowly descends the stairs from his four-storey flat while carrying his paralysed wife. It's a surprising sight, but one that happens regularly at Pangsapuri Meru Ehsan.
Despite his age, Ah Yauddin Ahmad, 63, insists on bringing 57-year-old Roslina Yusuf with him when he heads out to sell drinks.
Having suffered a stroke five years ago, Roslina can no longer speak, eat, or move independently. In addition, her left leg had to be amputated because of diabetes complications.
Speaking with FMT at their home in Meru here, Yauddin admitted that while his body is ageing, he cannot bear to leave his wife in the care of others.
'I feel calmer running the business when she's with me, even if she's just sitting in a wheelchair. We've never been apart,' he said.
'Of course, there are times I feel tired, but when I think about how much I love her, I'd rather we go through this hardship together.'
Yauddin showing an old photo of Roslina when she was healthy and active.
For the past five years, Yauddin has been selling drinks (air balang) at night markets in Meru and Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur.
Roslina, he said, had been better at doing business than he is. 'Now that she's unwell, I feel demotivated, sometimes even too tired to continue. But it's my responsibility, so I try to do what I can,' he added.
Behind his calm demeanour and warm smile, Yauddin struggles emotionally when he thinks about his wife and daughter's future.
'Sometimes I get anxious, asking: 'Why is my wife so thin? Why is she bedridden? What's going to happen to my child?'
'When I feel like that, I start to shake and can only find strength by remembering God.'
Yauddin says he prefers to have Roslina by his side at all times, even if she's in a wheelchair.
And although Yauddin receives RM400 a month in zakat aid, their financial situation remains unstable.
According to him, the business brings in about RM1,000 a month. But Yauddin himself suffers from kidney disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, which occasionally renders him unwell.
'Zakat also provides milk and diapers. Treatment costs aren't too high since we go to government hospitals, but the business is unpredictable.
'Sometimes I can't even afford to pay for electricity, water, or maintenance fees,' he said.
Yauddin's story drew attention after a video of him working while caring for Roslina went viral on TikTok recently.
While he has been pleasantly surprised by the public's reaction, he stressed that he hopes to continue earning a living while he can, rather than rely entirely on aid.
21-year-old Siti Nur Aliah with her parents.
Meanwhile, Siti Nur Aliah, the couple's only child, acknowledged that her life is very different from other young people's.
After completing her SPM, the 21-year-old decided not to further her studies so she could care for her mother and help her father with their business.
'I received offers to study but my dad asked me not to leave. He's not in good health either, so if I'm not around, it's hard for him to care for my mum alone,' she said.
To support her family, Aliah works part-time at a restaurant and helps them at the night markets.
'I use my part-time salary to cover family expenses. The rest is for my own needs,' she shared, adding that she hopes for her parents to move into a ground-floor home to make things easier for them.
If you wish to help, kindly bank in your donations to CIMB account 7000 412 397, account name Ah Yauddin Ahmad.