Nine-year-old injured in London, Ont. attack on Muslim family released from hospital
Fayez Afzaal, the nine-year-old boy who was left an orphan after surviving the deadly June 6 attack on a Muslim family, has been released from hospital, CTV News has learned.
Those close to him say it will be a long road to recovery emotionally for the boy, but having the strength of the community behind him will help in that journey.
At the London Muslim Mosque, which is attached to the London Islamic School where Fayez is a pupil, there continues to be a steady stream of well-wishers and those paying their respects by leaving flowers and gifts.
Among those who came Monday were Dawn and David Nicholson, who presented Imam Abd Alfatah Twakkal with a painting for Fayez.
“We saw the picture of the four people that were killed on the news so my wife decided to sketch it and paint it so that the lone survivor would have something to remember his family by,” said David, as Dawn handed the imam the portrait.
Moments later, Londoner Colleen Murphy left a bouquet of fresh flowers along the fence outside the school. Through tears, Murphy said she grieves for the family and the loss.
“You know I thank God every day to live in Canada. It’s a fantastic country. But this is so sad.”
Asad Choudhary, the principal of the London Islamic School, said he has learned from the family that Fayez is recovering well from his physical injuries.
“The more we think about life after these deaths for Fayez, the more our heart mourns.”
Choudhary said Fayez is expected to be back at school in the fall.
“One of the biggest and most important things to keep in mind is that continuity is important for Fayez. Fayez needs to reunite with his friends, reunite with his teachers, and reunite, really, with the larger family that he has here at our school, as well as in the larger community of London.”
With the family having just been laid to rest on Saturday, Twakkal says only now does the real work begin in terms of healing and recovery.
“There are long-lasting impacts and repercussions that have come from this, and so there’s a lot of support that is going to continue to be needed on various levels, for the family, as well as members of our community.”
In the meantime, the entire student body at the London Islamic School has begun a letter-writing campaign to Fayez so students can extend their support personally, said Choudhary.
“When he is alone, and he’s thinking about sad thoughts, he has a very decorated box to open up to read all of these positive messages from his friends. So we’re hoping to keep that smile on his face.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.