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A special memorial service will be held in honour of Hussain Al Amir, a beloved father, poet, musician and inspirational teacher of the blind, at the end of this month.
Mr Al Amir, who taught computing at the Saudi Bahraini Institute for the Blind and was a leading member of the kingdom’s Friendship Society for the Blind, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 36 at his home in Hamad Town during Ramadan.
He is now being mourned by peers, students as well as members of his family. His friend and colleague, Principal Abdulwahid Al Khayyat, described Mr Al Amir, a former pupil at the institute, as a pioneer and true inspiration.
He said: “He was with us as a child from the beginning, more than willing to learn and I used to teach him in the fifth grade. Even when he went off to university he would still visit us.
“When he started working at the institute, he took the role of an Arabic teacher. But his passion for computers was so strong and we capitalised on that. He was very special because we have a lot of Arabic teachers but not enough that like to handle computers so we gave him a chance to teach what he loved.
“He was amazing with the children and the staff and was even loved by everyone. Honestly, words cannot express how much he meant to us. He was a great student and after that a great teacher.
“It’s so sad especially because I had seen him the night before the incident. I will truly miss him. I believe it is only right that we, as the Friendship Society for the Blind, should hold such a gathering in his honour to remember all the good that he has done for his family, his friends and society. Everyone that has been touched by Mr Al Amir will be there as well. God bless him.”
The institute was planning to send Mr Al Amir along with six other teachers to teach the blind in government schools, an initiative that he was eager to be a part of.
Mr Al Amir easily empathised with the blind because he was born without sight. He had struggled during his early childhood which led to bouts of depression but he made a decision to keep his head up and move forward no matter what obstacles were in his way, his friends say.
He married his university sweetheart in 2002 and the couple had two children, Qais, eight, and Bayan, four.
In an interview with a local Arabic paper, Mr Al Amir said: “Life has taught me that the biggest challenge that the blind face is not how the community treats them, but how they can deal with the community.
“So often, society offers a helping hand and it is up to us to take the opportunities as they come.
“Another thing I learned is that if I am determined on being successful then there is nothing on this planet that will stop me from achieving my goals. And where there is a will there is a way. When I get that feeling nothing can get in my way.
“Society only now understands what the blind and disabled go through in life. We require more supplies and computers. So many have the right attitude and skills but how can they put them to work without the proper tools? So I urge the community, provide the proper tools for us and then see what we can achieve.”
The memorial will be held on September 29 at the Friendship Society for the Blind in Isa Town at 7pm.
