Vaneeza recalls sister’s untimely death
Vaneeza explained that she now understands that her sister’s life was always going to be short, and expressed how she is grateful to Allah for every moment. Photo: File
As a mark of solace to anyone going through the death of a loved one, former top model Vaneeza Ahmed opened up on Nida Yasir’s show about how her life was forever altered after losing her youngest sister, Isha, to a car accident in 2019 at the age of 25.
“It changed my life,” recalled Vaneeza. “It made me realise that Allah has a plan for everyone, and that we should be grateful for every moment we get. Isha’s death got me closer to Allah.”
Like anyone experiencing the stages of grief, Vaneeza’s acceptance of religion and gratitude for life came much further along her journey into this unchartered territory. Plunged into the trauma of the immediate aftermath of her beloved sister’s untimely death, Vaneeza detailed her tailspin into depression.
“Isha had been away studying in England for five years, and her accident happened just a year after she came back,” recounted Vaneeza. “Everyone would ask ‘Why? Why did this happen? How could it happen? She was so young — she was only 25!’ But then I eventually realised that everything has a time and a place.”
According to Vaneeza, it was her mother who ended up being the pillar of strength for the entire family. “I couldn’t figure out how to get out of that depression,” said Vaneeza. “But my mother handled Isha’s death so well. She has such strong faith, and she would say that Isha has returned to her Creator, and we need to accept it.”
Her mother’s constant reminders of having faith marked the turning point in how Vaneeza handled Isha’s passing. “I eventually came to realise that it was Isha’s time to leave, and that you to live in the moment, because Allah already has everything planned out for you. Isha’s life was short, and it was always going to be that way. That depression that I went to? I realised that that was time I needed to work on myself so I could come to terms with it.”
Isha’s death ultimately ended up deepening Vaneeza’s own faith. “Before, I have to admit that I never understood the religion,” she confessed. “I never prayed regularly. But now — now I see that Allah has a plan for everything, and it doesn’t matter what plans we have made for ourselves. We should be grateful for every moment we get.”