What was meant to be another test of endurance for 21-year-old UiTM student Fadhlan Fakhry Solana Mohd Fellimal ended in tragedy after he collapsed near the finish line of the Komander Kesatria Endurance Challenge (KKEC) at UiTM Jengka on Sept 4.
The Diploma in Sports and Recreational Management student died at about 2pm yesterday while receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital (Hoshas) in Temerloh.
His father, Mohamad Fellimal Mohd Sulanah, 50, said Fadhlan had participated in the previous two editions of the challenge and had been in good health before this year’s event.
He said his son had a strong interest in sports and had trained for the competition. Fadhlan had completed the challenge in the previous two editions, while his team finished among the winners last year.
Fellimal said he was told that Fadhlan appeared weak as he approached the finishing line on Sept 4 and nearly collapsed before being taken to the medical facility at UiTM Jengka.
He last spoke to his son via WhatsApp at 6.55pm that day, when Fadhlan told him he would call after completing the endurance event.
“About 11pm, I received a call from a UiTM officer informing me that my son had been taken to Jengka Hospital.
“While discussing with my wife whether we should travel to Jengka Hospital, I received another call around midnight informing me that my son had been transferred to Hoshas. We immediately left Shah Alam and arrived here about 3.30am,” he said when met at the Hoshas forensic unit today.
Fellimal said the family was later allowed to see Fadhlan from a distance while he was unconscious in the hospital’s red zone and being treated for heat stroke.
The father, who helps run a community-based rugby club, said his last meeting with Fadhlan was at his son’s Kesatria Second Lieutenant commissioning and graduation ceremony at UiTM Shah Alam on Aug 29.
“We took a lot of pictures during the event, and those are the last memories my wife and I have of him,” he said.
Fellimal said Fadhlan had spent about a week at UiTM Shah Alam training and taking part in marching drills before travelling to UiTM Jengka on Sept 1.
His son had completed his three-year diploma and was planning to pursue a degree.
“He had completed his three-year diploma course and was planning to pursue a degree, but then this happened,” he said, his voice choking with emotion.
Fadhlan’s post-mortem was completed at about 2.30am before his remains were taken to Denai Alam Mosque for funeral prayers and later buried at the Elmina Muslim Cemetery.
Fadhlan is believed to have suffered a heat-related illness along with eight other participants during the KKEC on Sept 4. The eight students were admitted to Hoshas and Jengka Hospital for treatment
