How Sheikh Ahmed Paid For Man's Treatment, Supported Late Worker's Child For 15 Years

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A UAE content creator has shared a deeply personal account of how the late Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum quietly supported his family for years, saying the Dubai royal's kindness reached far beyond public life and into the homes of people who needed help.

In a video posted on Instagram, Emirati pilot and comedian Rashed Al Falasi described Sheikh Ahmed as“a sheikh of humanity, compassion, generosity and kindness”.

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“There is something many people may not know about Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashi,” Al Falasi said.“His generosity was beyond anything you could imagine, and his kindness was beyond anything you could imagine.”

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He said Sheikh Ahmed had helped many people and held a particularly important place in the life of the Bakhit Salem family.

“He did so much for us personally - the Bakhit Salem family. We can never repay Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid for his kindness,” Al Falasi said.“The same is true for the residents of the area where we live. We can never repay him for everything he gave us and for the assistance he extended, inside the country, abroad and at a personal level.”

At the heart of the tribute was a private act of support that, Al Falasi said, lasted several years.

“He covered the cost of my father's treatment abroad for years from his own funds,” he said.“He did not simply pay for the treatment; he would always check on him.”

The Bakhit Salem family name is closely linked to the early history of Al Wasl Sports Club. Al Wasl was founded in 1960 as Al Zamalek Club after a group of young men gathered at the home of the late Bakhit Salem Al Falasi in Za'abeel. As membership grew, the group rented a small house and each member contributed Dh10 towards the club's budget.

Sheikh Ahmed went on to become one of the central figures in Al Wasl's history, maintaining an association with the club that spanned more than six decades.

Al Falasi said that although he may not have met Sheikh Ahmed one-to-one, he remembered the royal's warmth whenever the family saw him.

“When my father would go to see him, we would see him from a distance. He would always be the first to greet us,” he said.“He cared about the person himself and about his family.”

That personal attention, Al Falasi said, explained why Sheikh Ahmed occupied a special place in the hearts of his family, Dubai residents and Al Wasl supporters.

“We love Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid. He has a special place in our hearts,” he said.

'You were like a father to me'

The same sense of personal care emerged in a tribute from Ahmed Al Tenaiji, President of Al Wasl Football Company, who said Sheikh Ahmed was far more than the club's president or a symbol of Al Wasl.

“You were like a father to me,” Al Tenaiji wrote on social media.“You advised me, guided me, taught me and surrounded me with your care.”

Al Tenaiji said he had always felt that a father stood behind him - one he feared disappointing and whose approval brought him happiness.

“Every piece of advice you gave me and every trust you placed in me will remain a responsibility I carry,” he wrote.

He said the news of Sheikh Ahmed's passing had drained him of his passion for football and left Za'abeel looking dark in his eyes.

“Today, I do not only weep for a great man Al Wasl has lost,” he wrote.“I weep for someone dear whom I have personally lost, and for a place I know will never be the same without you.”

Al Tenaiji said the late royal had left a name and history in Za'abeel that would endure for as long as Al Wasl itself.

“The sun of Al Wasl has set,” he wrote.“But your impact will remain in Za'abeel for as long as Al Wasl remains.”

Support for late employee's young daughter

Mohammed wrote about how Sheikh Ahmed's generosity dates to 2021, when Dr Mohammed Ismail, the manager of Al Wasl's swimming academy, died suddenly in Dubai.

Sheikh Ahmed instructed the club to continue providing Ismail's salary to his family until his youngest daughter who was three years old at the time reached the age of 18.

The support was described at the time as a reflection of Sheikh Ahmed's paternal care for Al Wasl, its employees and their families.

Sheikh Ahmed, the youngest brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, passed away on Monday at the age of 76. He served as Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security and as President of Al Wasl Sports Club.

Dubai declared 10 days of official mourning, with flags lowered to half-mast across the emirate.

Funeral prayers were held at Za'abeel Grand Mosque on Tuesday, attended by Sheikh Mohammed, members of the royal family, dignitaries and hundreds of worshippers.

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