Durban - Phoenix karate athlete Suhaliya Maharaj, 12, who died on Tuesday morning in the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, will be missed by all who knew her.
The Grade 7 pupil at Wembley Primary School was taken to the hospital’s emergency unit after she felt ill.
Suhaliya’s father Yakeel Maharaj said that after the tournament she had taken part in on Sunday, she said she was not feeling well.
“We took her to the paramedics at the tournament and they checked her blood pressure and said they thought she was having a stroke,” said Maharaj.
“They immediately took her to Victoria Hospital. They did a CT scan and it was confirmed that a blood vessel had burst and caused severe bleeding. She was then transferred to Albert Luthuli Hospital. The neurosurgeon at the hospital found that the amount of bleeding was too severe and that she was brain dead,” he said.
He said she was loved by so many people for her caring nature.
“At the funeral, we were supported by so many people that we had not seen for so long. We asked the venue management to increase our time by an hour because of the large number of people who came, not only to support us, but because of the love they have for her. She was a caring and respectful child. Her smile lit up the room,” said Maharaj.
He thanked the Karate South Africa for attending the funeral and presenting her with the colours she was going to receive at the tournament.
“We really love the fact that they honoured her,” he said.
Maharaj also wanted to end rumours about her death.
“We do not want people to continue saying she died because of an injury while competing at the tournament. We do not want this to affect the child she was competing with, to feel it was her fault. These incidents are rare, but they do happen and the timing was unfortunate,” he said.
Karate SA chief executive officer, Sonny Pillay praised Maharaj’s contribution to the sport and said he was saddened by the loss of the brown belt athlete.
He emphasised that she had worn a protective helmet at the tournament and players were not allowed to make contact with each other’s heads.
“I remember at the tournament on Sunday she came to my table and greeted me with a bow and a loud traditional karate greeting. She also smiled with a beautiful smile that I’ll always remember. She was very loved and kind.
“I would like to stress that she was an outstanding talent and high achiever. She was climbing great heights fast. She would have reached national level in no time,” he said.
Pillay pledged he would create a legacy at the karate awards ceremony in July so she would be remembered for generations to come.
"She was a remarkable athlete and she achieved so much. She is a role model for other female athletes to be inspired by her incredible work ethic and dedication,” Pillay said.
The Independent on Saturday