The national Paralympic community is in shock and mourning following the passing of archer Major Yuhaizam Yahya, aged 53, yesterday.
The former Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) pilot, who survived a helicopter crash two decades ago, was confirmed dead by his younger brother, Shahrizal, when contacted by Bernama today.
Shahrizal shared that Yuhaizam, who represented Malaysia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, passed away at Taiping Hospital in Perak at 10:40 p.m. yesterday after being admitted earlier that day.
“My brother leaves behind a widow and four children,” he said, without disclosing the cause of death. Yuhaizam was laid to rest at the Changkat Larah & Batu 6 Muslim Cemetery in Kamunting, Perak, at 11 a.m. today.
National Paralympic archer Zafi Mat Salleh, a participant in the 2012 London Games, expressed his disbelief at the news, revealing that he and Yuhaizam had been planning a reunion.
“I’ve known him since 2010 and have countless memories of us training and competing together. He was disciplined, highly spirited, and always motivated his friends. He was like a mentor to me. We often exchanged messages and planned to meet up with former teammates and coaches in Kuala Lumpur. This news truly shocked me,” Zafi said.
Yuhaizam had survived a Sikorsky Nuri helicopter crash in Butterworth in 2004, an incident that claimed the lives of two of his colleagues. On March 5, 2004, the helicopter he piloted crashed in a residential area in Taman Udara, Permatang Tengah, Butterworth. The tragedy killed co-pilot Captain Dicky Rishi Chin, 27, and Sergeant Zailani Ab Kadir, 37. Yuhaizam sustained spinal injuries and was confined to a wheelchair following the accident.
In addition to competing at the Paralympics, Yuhaizam won gold medals at the ASEAN Para Games in 2011 (Solo, Indonesia) and 2015 (Singapore)
