Mr Fathil Khair bin Muhammad

From SMK Pendidikan Khas Setapak

Nominated by Fatin Azwani binti Abu Zarin

At first, I was nothing. I'm just a ordinary girl living her high school life. I was just transferred at SMK Pendidikan Khas Setapak. Yes, I'm a special needs student, visually impaired. At that time, I never imagined that I can be as great as who I am today. I really thought that I am useless, worthless. I don't have any reasons to live on. He proved me wrong, really wrong. In 2018, my friends invited me to join an IT competition, looking for 8 student, representing 4 type of disabilities, hearing, visually, physically and learning disabilities, for Malaysia IT Challenge. I was kind of interested, but I don't really had the guts to join the competition. Nevertheless, I wrote down my name onto the paper, and joined the competition. That's how I get to know him, my inspirational teacher. He trained us till the day of the competition. At first, I was hesitant since I don't like IT things. However, I was chosen to represent Kuala Lumpur in 2018 MITC competition and I won a gold medal. The next year, I joined the same competition and was chosen again to represent KL. I was really happy at that time. My teacher doesn't give up, instead, he worked really hard. He trained me day and night till the day of the competition. Maybe god was on our side that day that I won 2 gold medal and was nominated as a best challenger from visually impaired students. Also, me and my teammates were chosen to represent Malaysia in Global IT Challenge 2019 that was held in Busan, South Korea. However, the sky isn't always bright, I was diagnosed with MDD and BPD traits later on that year. I was really upset. I felt like there's a big rock on my head. I was clueless, helpless. I felt like everyone was pointing their finger towards me, saying that it was my fault that I am diagnosed with it. I felt really lonely, empty and scared. What if others feel like i'm a burden to them? What if I hurt others, how will they react? I was frightened to death. I lose interest in everything I do. I felt really lost. I skipped school for many days, crying and thinking whether I should go on live in this world. Even so, I didn't show my dark side to any of my friends nor my teachers in school. I kept on living like nothing happened before. I kept all the burden inside my head and months later, I exploded. Meanwhile, my teacher a.k.a my coach, who's been noticing me kind of not me at that time, reaching out his hand. He asked me "What's wrong?" and I bursted into tears. I told everything to him, and he agreed to help me. He's been supporting me, mentally, physically and also, financially. He's been inspiring me with his kind heart and his attitude of treating others equally, no matter what their background is. At that point I was ready to quit, 2 weeks before our take off to South Korea as I really think that i'm not the best candidate to challenge my opponents. I thought that i'm really worthless. He asked me, to give him a chance, to prove that i'm wrong. I gave in. In the last 2 weeks, we went all out. He teached us from a to z, from dusk till dawn. I'm all prepared, we are all prepared. On the day of competition, I gave all I had, but still I have the thought of being not good enough and afraid that I'll just shame him later. I didn't expect much, but I still have the urge to win gold medal for him, for Malaysia. 28th November 2019, the day of the award ceremony. The award ceremony was splitted into two parts, Award Ceremony pt. 1 and Award Ceremony pt. 2. When the Award Ceremony pt. 1 began, I really hope that my name will be called out. Unfortunately, my name wasn't nominated at all. I cried because I thought "If I can't win 3rd or 2nd place, how could I win 1st place?". I thought I was stupid for hoping of something that'll never be mine. I felt down because one of my teammates got 2 bronze medal for Malaysia. He came to me, patting my head and comforting me. He said "There's still hope to win. Believe me, be patient and miracles will happens." I believed in him. Award Ceremony pt. 2 began, I sat there on my seat, praying the best for me. Praying for gold medal. Praying for everything. And at that time I open my eyes, looking to the front, to the LCD where the names of contestant who have won will be displayed. That was it. I felt my knee was loose, I'm lost at words. He finally proved me wrong. There was my name, displayed on the LCD. I've won. I've won a gold medal for Malaysia. I felt tears building up in my eyes. I cried in denial, disbelievement. How could I won this? I felt someone catched my body, as I cried. That was him, my inspirational teacher. I saw him smiling, brightly. Tears of joy in his eyes. "You've made it, you've made it!", he said as he brought me to the stage. "You've won. Thats why I told you to be patient, and miracles will happens." I was sobbing like a baby. He proves me that I'm not useless, worthless. I'm somebody. I'm great. He build back all my confidence, my bravery, my trust towards people. He taught me till I became who I am today. He is it, my inspirational teacher. I love him so much, thank you teacher.