A UBC graduate student blinded in a brutal attack in Bangladesh greeted friends at Vancouver International Airport Tuesday before being taken to hospital.
Rumana Monzur, 33, was allegedly beaten by her husband on June 5 during a visit to her home country.
After touching down in B.C., Monzur's crying friends crouched down to hug her as she sat in her wheelchair, wearing dark glasses to shield her injured eyes.
"I hadn't expected this amount of support. You have given me the hope to live again. I want to thank you all for supporting me in this crucial period of my life," Monzur said.
"It feels great to be among you beautiful people and I want to see your beautiful faces again."
Sotonye Godwin-A Hart said she was overwhelmed but happy to see her close friend again.
"She looks different, but she is the same person and we will take care of her," she said.
Monzur arrived in Vancouver with her father, and her mother and daughter are expected soon.
Her father thanked UBC and the Canadian government for all the helped they received and asked the community to pray for her daughter's eyesight to recover.
After briefly addressing the media, the injured woman was taken to Vancouver General Hospital with her father, close friends and university representatives. She is expected to receive a medical assessment that will determine if her vision can be restored.
Monzur's husband is reported to have attacked her in a fight over her studies in Canada in front of their five-year-old daughter. He allegedly gouged her eyes and bit her nose, face and throat. He was arrested on June 15 and has been charged with attempted murder in connection to the assault.
Monzur returned to Canada sooner than expected. She had planned to return to the Vancouver campus next August, but changed her travelling plans once she learned about the possibility of receiving additional medical attention from eye specialists at UBC.
She will attempt to finish her Master's degree with access to visual impairment services available on campus and the support of the UBC Political Science department.
"I really hope I can finish my thesis in a proper way" Monzur said, "It's the only thing I want right now."
The UBC community has raised more than $40,000 to help Monzur pay for her medical bills and school tuition, as well as living expenses for her family.
But Monzur will need more financial support to cover her medical bills and living expenses in Canada, UBC said during a press conference on campus.
Her family will be relying on donations for further support in Canada, and UBC hopes to double the amount raised with more support from the community.
"I want to thank all those who have responded so generously," said UBC President Stephen Toope. "I know Canadians will continue to respond and help provide the support Ms. Monzur and her family need."
If you want to help Rumana Monzur in Canada, visit this website.
