TORONTO – Toronto-born teenager Fardowsa Abdi is still recovering from the deadly mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya, but her uncle is in high spirits after hearing from doctors that his niece will keep her leg.
“Not only will she be able to walk, but she will walk as she has been before,” said Mohamed Hassan in a message to Global News. “So we are extremely happy with that.”
Hassan said Abdi remains in the intensive care unit, but will be moved to a burn unit to complete skin grafting on her leg.
Abdi survived the Sept. 21 assault on the Westgate Mall, carried out by members of the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab, but her leg was so badly injured doctors in Kenya said there was nothing more they could do to save it.
The 17-year-old was transported to Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital Sept. 29 to receive treatment.
Abdi was shopping in the Westgate Mall with her 16-year-old sister Dheeman when gunmen took over the upscale shopping centre.
A grenade was directed at Fardowsa, but Dheeman also suffered an explosion-related injury to her hand and a gunshot wound to her leg. Dheeman has since been released from hospital and is recovering in Nairobi.
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Hassan said Fardowsa is doing well overall, but is being treated for trauma from the memory of the attack.
“Pictures of Westgate mall…or somebody mentions anything about guns or even if she hears a sound that resembles a gun, she goes into shock,” said Hasasn. “So that’s being addressed.”
“We’ll let her get better.”
With files from Cindy Pom
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