She Was My Hero: Peshawar School survivor shares a heart wrenching story

As the children who lived to tell the tales from into the most barbaric terrorist attack in perhaps world history, recover at the Lady reading hospital, Irfanullah, 15 year old survivor who took a bullet to his chest, shares the heartbreakingly valorous story to which he owes his life. This story is about a woman.

The Taliban opened fire on the Peshawar Army Public School on Tuesday morning and killed 141 people- mostly children, but some teachers too.

Irfanulla recalls that they were sitting in their classroom, with their 24 year old teacher Afsha Ahmad, when the attackers barged in. “She seemed to understand what was going on before we did because she immediately stood up and prevented the terrorists from targeting us,” he added, in an interview to NewsweekPakistan.

Choking up, he goes on to tell us how she instantly rose to the occasion, without a flicker of hesitation.  “She was so brave,” he said. “Her last words to the terrorists were: ‘You must kill me first because I will not see my students’ bodies lying in front of me.’”

First Covers>

Her plea did not resonate with the Taliban, who were blinded by their blood-thirst. Determined to exterminate every obstacle between them and their mission to kill, without even batting an eyelid, they threw something on her body and the next thing they knew, their braveheart teacher was up in flames.

Till her last breath, even when her body was almost completely engulfed in flames, she kept yelling at the children with all her heart to run away and save themselves by finding refuge.

Irfanullah, lying on that hospital bed, is constantly aware that had it not been for that little diversion created by their guardian angel, he wouldn’t be here right now. He is consumed with guilt that they abandoned her, despite knowing that what happened was beyond their control.

“She was my hero.”