A mother of four is grieving the loss of her son who drowned at Natadola Beach, Coral Coast, on Sunday. The victim, identified as 15-year-old Rihan Ali, was a Year 11 student at Nadi Muslim College.
His mother, Imrana Ali, expressed her devastation, stating, “My world is shattered into pieces because my son whom I loved dearly has left me and gone too soon.” The tragic incident occurred around midday while the family was picnicking at the beach.
Rihan’s father, Imran Ali, described his son as well-behaved and an excellent student. “He loved to take part in religious activities at the Mulomulo mosque,” Mr. Ali said. He noted that Rihan was dedicated to his education, rarely missed school, and looked forward to attending classes with his friends.
“He always showed respect to his elders and received awards for exemplifying the best of his religious values at school,” Mr. Ali added. Imrana Ali mentioned that she would now be preparing two school lunches instead of three, a poignant reminder of her loss.
Prior to the outing, Rihan had insisted that the family proceed with their planned picnic, despite changes in the weather. Mrs. Ali said, “Since he is my second youngest I have a soft spot for him; I just had to agree on going for the picnic as school was also about to start on Tuesday.”
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that the victim was with his family when the drowning occurred. Rihan’s funeral took place yesterday at the Mulomulo Muslim Cemetery.