SYLVIA Nandani knows what she will do when she sees her dad.
She plans to give him a big hug.
It’s the one thing she is looking forward to with great enthusiasm.
It’s something she can’t shrug off her mind.
The 25-year-old had been in Wuhan, China, at the epicentre of the novel coronavirus since January 14.
Frantic efforts by her father, Rakesh Reddy, secured her a seat on an Air New Zealand evacuation flight that ferried 193 people out of Wuhan.
The flight carried 30 Pacific evacuees, including 17 from Papua New Guinea, five Samoans, four Tongans, two Fijians, one from Kiribati and one from the Federated States of Micronesia.
“The first thing I’m going to do is hug him and just hold on to him when I see dad at Nadi Airport,” she said.
“I am so thankful for his concern, he made it possible for me to get out of there.
“It was because of him that I was taken out of Wuhan and I am forever grateful to him for never giving up.
“We were communicating on What’sApp the whole time and I knew he would not be at peace until he knew I was safe.”
Ms Nandani flew into China in August last year to do a Masters in Food Science at the Graduate School of Chinese Academy in the Institute of Oil Crop Research. Her story is a powerful reminder of the value of family.
It stands out as an apt reminder for us of how deep relationships are sometimes, and the value some people place on family bonds.
There is concern.
There is love and there is an appreciation of sacrifices and the actions people would take for loved ones.
When trouble looms, family values matter.
They mean the world to those impacted by decisions that hinge on concern for the welfare of loved ones.
Financial considerations stand for nought.
When a loved one is in trouble, the ultimate goal is to ensure safe passage or safety.
At least that is a given for most people.
There is a powerful reminder somewhere in there of the human spirit and concern for the welfare of others.
It makes us special.
The coronavirus issue has dominated global news.
From the epicentre in Wuhan, it has spread like wildfire, infecting thousands of people around the globe.
It’s a massive testimony of the impact of global travel, and how the world has basically gone smaller.
For as much as we would want to think we have a licence to safety, we are left with the knowledge that infections such as the coronavirus can leave a lasting impression on nations around the globe because people are already crisscrossing the planet with relative ease.
It just takes an airline ticket to be in one country and another in a matter of hours.
However, what will stand out in this report is the issue of family.
When all things are considered, family matters.
As we stare at a brick wall now, perhaps we can take something off this report.
Let’s place value on family, and let’s show love for one another.
