Meliah Md Diah of Malaysia was a special kind of person. At the age of 101 years old, she was one of the few centenarians in the world. There's no doubt that she saw and experienced a lot in her lifetime. But if you asked Meliah what she is most proud of in her life, her answer would come as no surprise to any mother: her disabled 63-year-old son.
Despite her old age, Meliah took care of her son, Abdul Rahman Saud, all by herself ever since her husband passed away 20 years ago. Each day she would make sure that all of her son's basic needs were met, including cooking for him, getting him dressed in the morning, assisting him as he walked and numerous other things that he could not otherwise accomplish. Sometimes she struggled to remember all the chores she had to do, but she never forgot her dear son's name or the deep love she had in her heart for her family.
In August of last year, Meliah gently fed Abdul a meal of fried rice before retiring to her bedroom after a long exhausting day. With her Abdul by her side, she drifted off to sleep and never awoke again. She died of natural causes during the night and was discovered by a relative who lived next door to her. Despite the fact that Abdul is mentally and physically challenged, he was able to process what happened and has been withdrawn ever since. Now Meliah's extended family cares for Abdul. Although Meliah is gone, her loving spirit lives on in the family and stands as an excellent example to all of us.
