Faiz Ahmed’s GoFundMe Appeal

No one in our family thought that 30th August 2025 would change our lives forever, most importantly, for Faiz Ahmed. One moment, Faiz was counting down the days to college; the next, life as we knew it was gone.

Faiz grew up watching his father work at the Pak-China Sost Border, striving hard to provide the best possible life for their family. Then came COVID-19, devastating cross-border businesses across the region due to the Pakistan-China border closure, which lasted for years. The company his father worked for ran out of business and eventually closed down.

Those who knew Faiz will tell you he was one of those rare young men who made everyone around him feel cared for. At home, he helped his mother tend to the cattle and cows without ever being asked. He sat with his grandmother, keeping her company and looking after her with a gentleness well beyond his years. He loved animals, and they seemed to trust him in return. On weekends, you would find him on the cricket pitch, laughing with friends, full of life. He was the kind of person who lit up a room simply by walking into it.

With the family struggling, Faiz, still a high school student, quietly stepped up, without complaint or hesitation. He took his passion for cooking further, training as a chef at the beautiful Serena Hunza, and turned that passion into something real: a position as an assistant chef at a remote hotel near Khunjerab National Park.

When I met him in the first week of August 2025, he spoke with such warmth about how much he loved his work and how proud he was to be supporting his family. He had plans to move to a nearby city by September to begin college; a way to pursue his education whilst continuing to contribute to his family's income. My heart swelled hearing him speak with such quiet determination. He had plans. He had hope.

Then 30th August arrived. We had guests over when my father picked up his phone, shook his head in disbelief, and rushed to the hospital. We had received a call; Faiz had been in a bike accident in Khunjerab. For hours, no one could locate him in the remote area. Search parties combed the canal banks and eventually found him lying in a ditch. The nearest hospital capable of providing first aid was five hours away. He was rushed there unconscious, and then immediately transferred to Gilgit city for further treatment. He was placed on a ventilator and received intensive medical care. He remained in hospital for two months.

When he was discharged, even though he was unable to move his body, he returned home with medications, but the damage to his nervous system was significant. He was diagnosed with Edematous left cerebrum and involvement of temporal lobe/Acute ischemic brain injury. He had lost his ability to speak and could no longer live independently. His prognosis was cautious; recovery would take time. By December 2025, however, his condition had worsened. He became increasingly agitated, aggressive, began physically striking, and several serious behavioural changes emerged that required urgent medical attention. He was taken to Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi, where he underwent an extensive series of tests and began specialist treatment. He remains on medication to this day, and progress has been slow and difficult.

Faiz's family has carried this journey with extraordinary love and resilience, giving everything they have, every single day, and we are truly grateful to every kind soul who has already contributed. The road ahead, however, remains steep, outstanding bills at Aga Khan Medical Centre, Gilgit stand at PKR 829,000, whilst treatment in Karachi at Dow Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital was only made possible by borrowing approximately PKR 350,000 from family and friends, a debt that still needs to be repaid. On top of this, monthly medication costs around PKR 41,201, and Faiz's mother and eldest sister, who had to leave her job to care for him full time are doing everything in their power to keep him comfortable each day. We are humbly raising £5,000 to clear these dues, repay those who lent money in a moment of crisis, and ensure Faiz's care and medication can continue without interruption. If you are able to help, every contribution, no matter how small, will make a very real difference to this family.

With Faiz unable to work and his father still without stable employment, the family has no means to meet these dues. Bank loans have not been a viable option given their financial circumstances, and the weight of these bills is adding further strain to an already exhausted family.

Every contribution to this campaign will go directly towards clearing Faiz's medical bills and supporting his ongoing treatment and care. No amount is too small, even sharing this campaign could make a profound difference. If Faiz's story has moved you, please give what you can, and help us give this young man the chance to heal, to find his voice again, and one day, to walk back into the kitchen he loved so much. If you would prefer to contribute directly in PKR, the details are as follow: Faiz Karim IBAN: PK34HABB0023667000004201 HBL.

My name is Shaneeda Sultana, I am Faiz's cousin, and I am running this campaign on behalf of his family. When his father reached out, I knew I had to do something. This is beyond what any one person can carry alone, which is why we are turning to the kindness of others. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your generosity and compassion.