UAE: “Losing my dad to COVID-19“

UAE: “Losing my dad to COVID-19“

The last time I said goodbye to my dad was in an airport. Like many people in Dubai, I'd been living abroad so long we had a practiced routine, but this time it was all too brief. The concourse was crowded; my seven-year-old daughter was fractious; I wanted to buy British magazines and my dad was eager to get back on the road. As my daughter threw her arms around his neck and I leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, I never imagined for a moment that would be the last time I saw him. That other than on all-too-fleeting video calls, I'd never hear his voice again, experience one of his rib-cracking bear hugs, or even be able to attend his funeral. It's been almost a year since COVID-19 killed my dad and (other than my husband and daughter) I still haven't been able to hug a single family member, return to the house I grew up in, or even say goodbye. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things we ever have to experience; losing them to COVID-19 makes it a thousand times worse. If you choose to live in a different country from the