As we reflect on the year that has gone by and welcome another, FMT looks back on some heartwarming stories we carried in 2024.
Frogman, family get a Raya to remember
Life has not always been kind to Salman Abdullah. His father and younger brother are buskers who earn a meagre income, and he also has to care for a disabled sister. However, the stoic 23-year-old man has never once complained.
Every day without fail, Salman roams outside Sogo KL on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Dressed as an adorable frog mascot, he entertains passersby for up to 12 hours a day, even in the blazing sun.
Touched by his resilience, the public pitched in to give Salman and his family an unforgettable Hari Raya celebration this year. With their support, the family of five was able to shop for new clothes and Raya treats they could not afford previously.
Air crash survivor reunites with extended family
In 1977, Maria Burkhart Briley, then aged two, and her mother Salimah miraculously survived an air crash in Sungai Buloh, which took the lives of the toddler’s 51-year old father, Richard Nelson Burkhart, and 48 others.
Both mother and child migrated to the US soon after, losing touch with their family.
In August 2023, Maria, now living in Portland, Oregon, returned to Malaysia for the first time since the tragedy to meet her rescuer. Forty-six years earlier, newsman R Nadeswaran was captured in a dramatic and timeless image carrying Maria away from near the wreckage of the Japan Airlines plane.
Following a visit to the crash site, Maria appealed to the public to help her reconnect with her mother’s family. Reading the news on FMT, her aunt, Suhadah, reached out, paving the way for a virtual family reunion that took place in February this year via video call.
It was a moment both aunt and niece described as sweet, heartfelt and overdue.
Suhadah, 66, said she last saw Maria, now 49, and her mother at a hospital in Petaling Jaya, where they were being treated for their injuries.
Jocelyn’s Deepavali gets brighter
Following her father’s passing, Jocelyn Dewi has been thrust into the role of sole breadwinner for herself and three teenage siblings, one of whom is on the autistic spectrum.
Deprived of a MyKad due to the late registration of her parents’ marriage, the 27-year-old had found in difficult finding formal employment and resorted to running a small food business to make ends meet.
Resigned to a dim Deepavali, the cash-strapped family received renewed hope after FMT reported their plight. Generous Malaysians from all walks of life came forward with gifts of new clothes, furniture and ang pows.
Even the prime minister chipped in with his contribution.
Mr D, barber for autistic children
After his autistic sister passed away in 2003, Darmalingam Manickam, fondly known as Mr D, went on a mission, transforming his barbershop into a safe space filled with love, patience and understanding.
With his magnificent white beard and colourful outfits, the grandfather strives to make a difference by the dignity and care with which he offers everyone a haircut at his 20-year-old studio in Bangi.
Caring for them in the same way he cared for his sister, Mr D says his greatest reward is knowing that his humble shop provides comfort for many of his young customers.
Their parents say he is a godsend.
Fending by vending
Born with a physical disability, Normaladiana Yazal was moved to tears when she realised that the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) would finally give her the opportunity to make a meaningful financial contribution to her household.
The mother said she is now able to bring in between RM1,500 and RM3,000 per month under IPR’s food entrepreneur initiative, easing the financial burden shouldered by her husband, who works as a cleaner.
Every day, Normaladiana cooks and restocks the meals sold in her IPR vending machine at Universiti Malaya. Although the work is physically demanding for her, she is determined to secure financial stability for her family.
Raya cheer for 100 struggling icons
A hundred veteran entertainers and athletes received RM1,000 each ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year.
These entertainment and sports icons may have hogged the headlines in their prime, but their recent struggles with health and money have largely gone unreported.
With the generosity of an anonymous benefactor, FMT was able to bring some Raya cheer to 50 members of the Malaysian Artistes’ Association and 50 others from the National Athletes Welfare Foundation.
We hope our reporting over the past year has also brought cheer to all our readers.
Happy New Year 2025.