Published: Thursday, 14th January, 2010 7:20am
Top doc's last words to daughter before tragic road death
by Siew Peng Lee
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A DUNFERMLINE surgeon who died tragically in an accident last Wednesday night had been speaking to his teenage daughter on the phone when he was killed.
Dr Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah (42) had called 15-year-old Areej to get insurance details after his BMW struck a stanchion on the A1 near Cockburnspath in the Borders.
He was on the phone in the car around 7.45pm waiting for the breakdown recovery service to arrive, when a Scania articulated lorry skidded, jack-knifed and collided with the BMW.
He died at the scene of severe chest injuries.
Former colleague and close friend Dr Ahmed Khalil paid tribute to "a friendly, sociable man" and told of the heartbreaking moments surrounding Dr Abdel-Fattah's death.
Dr Khalil, a trainee surgeon at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital, told the Press, "It was just devastating.
"He was talking to Areej when the phone got cut off. She couldn't hear anything and was shouting for her dad.
"She knew something had happened but he had suddenly stopped speaking.
"She said she stayed on the phone for about four minutes, to hear somebody shouting, 'Are you OK? Can you hear me?'
"She said at that point she knew something bad had happened."
A "shocked and upset" Areej then called her mother, Suha Elbatrawy, who was in London for a meeting, and waited with her sister, Noor (13).
Dr Khalil said, "The police were very helpful because they sent someone to meet [Suha] at Heathrow and break the news and helped her to get back here.
"It was so stressful, so difficult for [the girls], waiting for their mother to arrive."
Dr Khalil said Dr Abdel-Fattah, who was orginally from Egypt, came to the UK in 2000 and had bought a house in Dunfermline's Manor Gardens in December.
He last saw Dr Abdel-Fattah on 3rd January, three days before his death.
"Mahmoud was one of the best friends of all people that I know here.
"I've never heard anybody complaining about him or say a bad word," Dr Khalil said.
"Till today, I can hardly believe what's happened. I'm still remembering all the words, all the nice things.
"One of his neighbours said he would wave to her every single day he left the house on his way to work. He was good to everyone. "
Another former colleague, Dr Abdul Hameed Bhatti, also from the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, said he was saddened to hear of Dr Abdel-Fattah's death.
Dr Bhatti, who lives in Dunfermline, said, "He was a very hard working, aspiring young doctor and very well-liked by everyone.
"He was always very helpful and friendly.
"I was very, very sad when I heard about the accident - I just couldn't believe it. The community was absolutely shocked to hear about his death."
Abdul Razzaq Shahid, imam at the Dunfermline Islamic Centre, said the Muslim community felt "very sorry for the loss".
Mr Shahid added,"I had talked to him sometimes and he was very, very sincere in his religion and his profession.
"He was a good man, a good doctor and a good friend."
A spokesperson for NHS Fife said, "NHS Fife would like to express its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dr Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah at this very difficult time.
"Dr Abdel-Fattah had worked as a locum registrar in general surgery at Queen Margaret Hospital on a number of occasions and had been employed in this capacity since September 2009.
"His friends and colleagues in NHS Fife held Mahmoud in high regard and he was a valued colleague.
"Everyone who knew him is shocked at his tragic and untimely death."
Dr Abdel-Fattah's funeral was held on Tuesday in Egypt. Special prayers were also held in Dundee last Friday and at London's Regent's Park Mosque on Sunday before the body was flown to Cairo.
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Mohamed A. Shahat Abdel Fattah
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Jan 16 10 12:49
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Uncle Mahmoud was my favorite uncle, and my faith makes me believe,that it might have been that hard, just to ensure that lots and lots of prayers are being told for him ...
Several wonderful signs, have been there since he died and until buried; In Islam we believe that these signs are only for the strong-faith, well-liked people, and inshallah he is one among them. اسألكم الدعاء بإخلاص
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Mohamed A. Shahat Abdel Fattah
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Jan 16 10 12:53
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Uncle Mahmoud was my favorite uncle, and my faith makes me believe,that it might have been that hard, just to ensure that lots and lots of prayers are being told for him ...
Several wonderful signs, have been there since he died and until buried; In Islam we believe that these signs are only for the strong-faith, well-liked people, and inshallah he is one among them. اسألكم الدعاء بإخلاص
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ahmed atef shahat abdel-fattah
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Jan 16 10 21:57
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uncle mahmoud was the most favourite person in my life.i loved him more than anything.he was my example.he never did any bad thing to anyone nor said a bad word about somebody,he loved all the people.the last thing he said to me was to study hard and try to get the highest marks,he also advised me to take care of myself and to concentrate in only 3 things:my prayings,my education,my sport(squash).and insha2allah i promise him to do my best to achieve his will and i\\\'ll try to make him concented from me,and may god help me to repulse a part from all what he had done to me.\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\nAnd when he died,everyone was very very sad and couldn\\\'t believe that he had passed from our lives,many people in dunfermline and in egypt prayed for him and were sad.i at first couldn\\\'t believe what happened until i saw him.but when i had seen him,i saw many wonderful signs which ensured that he was a very faithful man to god,and until he was buried many signs were ensuring that he was inshallah with angels and in heaven.نحتسبه عند الله شهيدا
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Yasser Elbatrawy
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Jan 17 10 02:04
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Mahmoud was not only my sister husband, but was my best friend since we are 5 years old. We used to be always together, studying in the same school, same class and joined faculty of medicine together until he marry my sister Soha. Although, it is very hard to lose him and it was completely devastating, but i feel inshaallah that he is now in a better place that i hope to meet him in after i die. Mahmoud never did anything wrong in his life. Even when we are teens, he was always the same man who always love people and never speak any bad word about any one. So, that all people loved him and every one came to the funeral to pray for him. The number of the people was more than 2000 praying for him. I am sure inshaallah that he is not only in the paradise, but he is in the heighest level of it. I hope Allah give us all and specially my sister and Areeg & nour his lovely daughters the paciency for losing him. May Allah let's meet him in AKHERA.
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abdelsatar elawdan
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Jan 17 10 17:03
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uncle mahmoud was my favourite uncle & I love he very much and I can't say of him because he was avery lovely man
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abdelsatar elawdan
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Jan 18 10 20:47
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uncle mahmoud was my favourite uncle & I love him very much and I can't say of him because he was avery lovely man
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eman ebrahim
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Jan 19 10 14:43
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although ihave not meet dr- mahmoud before but i was so sad after knowing about his death.i think he consider apride for every egyptian person as regard knowledge,behaviour,religion.اسأل اللة العظيم ان يجعلة فى فسيح جناتة وان يبدل سيئاتة حسنات وان يجمعة بأهلة فى الجنة انم شاء اللة .
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Ann-Marie O\'Neil
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Jan 20 10 18:17
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Staff in Surgical Admissions at the Queen Margaret Hospital send their condolences and prayers for Mahmoud and his family at this difficult time. He is sorely missed by all who knew him. Such a tragic loss.
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abdelsatar elawdan
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Jan 21 10 00:35
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I'm so sad to lose my favourite uncle mahmoud and I condolence and prayer for my uncle mahmoud abdelfattah and ask the god to enter him best place اسأل الله ان يدخله فسيح جناته مع الحبيب المصطفي محمد صلي الله عليه و سلم
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Hatem Galal Said
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Jan 21 10 10:46
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A tragic loss to all of us, Mahmoud was an excellent person and a pride to all Egyptians working abroad. Our prayers to him and his family.
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abdelsatar elawdan
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Mar 5 10 23:03
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I want people to remeber my favourite uncle mahmoud shahat because it is a least thing we should done
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