A day with Fikri

Flashback: Newspaper cutting on Fikri
after his IVAD operation

Yesterday was a public holiday. But I was at the office nonetheless. I wasn't alone though, as the day was spent "interviewing" Fikri for his memoir, "Echoes of My Heart". This wasn't the first time I sat down with Fikri for this purpose, but yesterday's session was perhaps the most interesting as many "unknown" details before came out. We spent about five hours, going from his childhood days up to his mechanical heart experience all the way to the heart transplant episode.

I am helping him to put his thoughts and experience on paper. When Fikri told me of what he had to go through, there were instances that I felt a tear drop in my eye. I hope I can do justice to his story so that everyone could appreciate the significance of organ donation in saving Fikri's life.

We have, more or less, the concept for the memoir's cover ready. Fikri's mother has also scanned all the newspaper cuttings chronicling his near-celebrity life. We just need to gather some photos of him from his personal collection. I am pretty confident that "Echoes of My Heart" will be ready by April 2009.

On a related note, Fikri will be appearing in "Majalah 3" this Saturday at 9 p.m. on TV3. Don't miss it.