TEL AVIV - Family struck by tragedy: A team of social workers, doctors and psychologists came into the room and shared the tragic news with Timor Akmayev - his wife was killed in Tuesday's train wreck and his infant daughter is hospitalized in serious condition.
Akmayev is suffering from head injuries and is defined as moderately injured. His wife, 20-year-old Olga, is among the eight victims killed in the accident.
Meanwhile, his nine-month-old daughter Hadas is hanging on to life at the pediatrics intensive care unit at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv. She has had to be anesthetized and ventilated, and is still in serious condition.
Hospital official Varda Stanger told Ynet Akmayev’s sister and mother were the ones to tell him the difficult news.
“We are always aiming for the closest relatives to share the news,” she said. “Timor said he understood it on his own. His heart told him. Then there were many silences and crying.”
Timor’s sister, Nana, who was next to him at the difficult moment, said her brother was initially silent and shocked.
“He apparently knew everything, because the entire night he asked about Olga and was worried about her,” she said. “He also wanted to know what happened to his baby.”
Baby suffers from brain hemorrhage
Doctors say they are cautiously optimistic about whether she will be able to recover from her serious injuries.
Hadas was riding the train on Tuesday with her parents when the accident occurred. Both Akmayev and his daughter were evacuated to the same hospital but were placed in different units.
He was hospitalized with a head injury and was unable to speak, but several hours later he managed to inquire about his daughter.
Akmayev's sister later arrived at the hospital and was able to identify the child. Later, in the company of a social worker and his parents, Akmayev was taken to see his infant daughter.
Brother-in-law Amit said that Akmayev steeled himself and asked about the condition of his baby; hoped for a speedy recovery, and then cried a little.
Sheba Director Prof. Zeev Rothstein told Ynet the baby's situation is very serious, as she is suffering from a brain hemorrhage, chest wounds, and a torn liver.
At present two other children are also hospitalized at Sheba, but their identities are not yet known.
