While he, his wife and two children now have a place to call their own, Mr Ahmad still suffers severe pain from fragments of a bullet remaining lodged inside his back.
However, he was given brief respite from the pain of his past when he was able to move into his first home two weeks ago, made possible by donations from the Medical Support Fund.
The cooperative fund was set up between Victim Support and the Christchurch Foundation to help the most severely injured victims from last year’s shootings.
As a victim physically injured by gunshot, Mr Ahmad received a total of $54,066 from the fund across a series of payments. The final payment of $3066 was made yesterday.
“I feel very grateful that I get help from the funds that come from Victim Support. To be able to get the 20 per cent deposit. I’m so thankful for that help,” said Mr Ahmad.
Mr Ahmad and his then 11-year-old son Ahmad Razif were inside Al Noor Mosque the fateful day a 28-year-old gunman opened fire.
While his son escaped unharmed, Mr Ahmad was shot in the back, the bullet piercing his spinal cord, as he witnessed the horrific events of March 15 unfold. He has been told his injuries could take years to fully heal.
To this day Mr Ahmad still suffers from debilitating pain which affects his mobility, being unable to move his right leg, leaving him unable to walk unaided.
Mr Ahmad and his wife Nor Azila Abd Wahid purchased their new home in December but needed to make some alterations before moving in to accommodate his mobility issues.
Mr Ahmad said his family were delighted with their new home in Avonhead, with each family member having their own bedroom for the first time.
Originally from Malaysia, Mr Ahmad, his wife and their two children had chosen Christchurch as their new home and had been living in the city for five years, until the events of March 15 changed everything.
“My wife graduated with her PhD in Biomedical Engineering on the day before the attacks,” he said.
Nor Azila Abd Wahid had dreams of working for Canterbury University, which have had to be put on hold as she continues to care for her husband who is still having to visit the physio four times a week and take up to five different types of medication a day to lessen the pain he suffers.
In spite of all the trauma the gunman has caused to him and his family, Mr Ahmad still prays for the man who killed 51 people.
“I hope he can become a good man after what has happened,” he said.
