The Quake Took My Legs
Alfatira’s (13 Apr 1999, 5th grader) sufferings through the Padang quake

It was Wednesday, the 30th of September, 3 days after the Lebaran holiday, and I was getting ready for school. Light showers were falling on Padang, which usually would mean God’s blessing upon the earth. We live very close to my school, SD Kartika, which is on Sisingamangaraja Street, about 10 minutes away with motorbike. My house is located on Kehakiman Street, Number 31.   It was just another ordinary day.  There was no sign that something extraordinary would happen to me.

I came home at 12:30 for lunch, and took a quick rest as I was scheduled to have tutorial courses from 15:00 – 18:00 at one of the well known education center in Padang, GAMA, which is located on Proklamasi Street.

I was ready by 14:30, and was waiting for my father to take me to GAMA. My father was coming from his store. Due to the traffic, my father got home at 15:00. We hurried to the education center, and arrived late. My class was located at the 3rd floor. I settled in the back row.  My first two lessons were Indonesian, followed by Math. My last lesson was English from 17:00 to 18:00.

Just a few moments after the English lesson started, suddenly we felt very powerful tremors throughout the building. Everybody responded in panic, and rushed out of the class for safety. It was chaotic.  Everybody screamed hysterically and we started to the stairs, following our tutor. Everybody pushed against each other through the narrow and steep stairs.  At the instant I reached the landing, the mid section of the stairs, the upper part of the stairs collapsed, and a concrete block landed on my legs. I was thrown to the floor, which was full of debris. Both of my legs were smashed underneath the concrete block. With all the strength I had, I could hardly endure the immense pain. “God, help me! God, I can’t stand this pain.”  So much blood was coming from the wounds on my legs.

I saw my friends nearby, also under ruins of the building. They groaned weakly in pain. But their sounds slowly faded away with their lives.  In this tremendous pain, I remembered my mother, father, and my sister. I wanted to scream for help, but I didn’t have the strength. I could only hope that help would soon arrive.

After a while, through the gaps of the ruins, I saw some concerned locals who were looking for survivors of the quake. They saw me and shouted, “We have a child alive under a concrete block here!” They tried to approach and help me.

Among the men, one of them was my uncle. He gave me a drink. He asked me to calm down and be patient. I tried to be strong and follow his request while believing and praying to be saved from this ruins quickly.

Then my father came. My father motivated me to hold on and promised me that I would soon be saved. At that moment, the building’s condition was still very vulnerable. So my father to be patient while he went to look for tools to free my legs from the concrete block.

More people came to try and help. I could only say:  “Uncle, Please help Tira.”,  “It hurts so much, uncle.”,  “Father, please help Tira!” , and “God, please help Tira!”  While trying to free me, some people became hysterical seeing my condition.

After my father arrived with more tools, I was freed from the concrete block. My uncle rushed me to my father’s car. My father drove me hurriedly to the Military Hospital.  Despite the crowded streets, I had to thank God that I arrived to the hospital in 5 minutes.

At the hospital, I was immediately brought to the operating room, and treated by medical personnel. They acted fast. And at this time I had to face reality – my destiny from Allah – that my legs would have to be taken away by God. After the doctors saw that my right foot was dangling off of my ankle and that in between my knee and ankle that my bones were smashed, my right leg was amputated to the knee. In addition, I had some fractures in my left leg. The medical team was making their best efforts to salvage my left leg.

My first realization of my amputation was when my father told me – as the anesthesia was starting to wear off. I screamed and cried in pain. “Why did this happen to me?”  I was frightened.  “How am I going to walk again?”

Fortunately, my father quickly came to accept my current condition and comforted me tirelessly.  I saw my parents’ tears flowing, while they tried to hide their sorrow, and their mixed emotions.

My parents told me that there were so many victims of the quake. My friends and teachers were among them. In fact, there were still people trapped under the ruins, and nobody could be certain of their fates. My parent asked me to try accepting the reality, not to place blame but rather be thankful to God that I am still alive.

On Monday, 5 October 2009, 5 days after the earthquake, my whole family, including my parents, my sister, Fatih, and my auntie departed to Jakarta with Garuda Indonesia. We were escorted by Dr. Norman and the Chief of the Padang Military Hospital – Major Farhan Abdullah Sp THT and the medical team to Pertamina Pusat Hospital as my leg had become infected and I needed more treatment.

I thank God for sending all the kind hearted people to surround me and help me throught this.

While at the Pertamina Pusat Hospital, my story was shared by Ms. Titi, who works at the hospital and Metro TV.  The Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation heard about me through them.

Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation had the opportunity to meet up with Alfatira & family.  Upon seeing the hope from the situation, the foundation presented a small token to show their happiness and sympathy - a wheelchair. The representative added as a comment to Alfatira (Tira) that: The wheelchair “was sent” from God, “God still loves Tira very much,” and “God never left Tira.”     

When the representative from the foundation was getting ready to leave, she kissed the child.  Moments later, her father came running and shared Tira’s complete story with the representative from the Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation. 

Currently, Tira is doing her best with the new life she has with the wheel chair.  She is continuing on with her dreams and hoping the best for the future even though she is still in the hospital after a full month of care.