By Tony Mariadass
Former women’s national hockey team
captain, K. Maheswari and her two children were counting their lucky stars as
they escaped unscathed at the recent tragedy where a truck ploughed into a
crowd watching the Bastile Day fireworks display on the Promenade des Anglias in
Nice, France.
Maheswari and her two children Sheela
28 and Gautam, 24, were holidaying France and it was the last day of their
four-day stop in Nice when they were encountered the mayhem following the
harrowing incident occurred.
“We had gone to the Promenade to
watch the fireworks and were at the beach which is a walk down the staircase
from the Promenade proper,” recalled Maheswari, the Group Chief Regulatory
Officer with K & N Kenanga Holding Berhad.
“We had some food and drinks and were
watching the fireworks in the crowded beach which lasted 15 minutes and ended
about 10pm. We then walked up the stairs to head to the Promenade where there
were a sea of people. We found our way to the other side of the Promenade which
was just about five minutes’ walk and suddenly everyone started running helter-skelter
and screaming.
“We did not know what was happening
but imagined the worst and started to run too. I had to pull my son who was
getting lost in the confusion and grabbed the hands of both my children as I
did not want to lose them in the mayhem.
“We followed some people who were
running into an alley and someone knocked on the kitchen doors of a restaurant
begging to let us in. Someone opened the door and let us in. About 15 of rushed
into the kitchen and hide wherever we could in the small and narrow area.’
Maheswari said they were afraid and
not knowing what was happening outside made it even more frightening.
“We just prayed for our safety and
getting out of the place. We were holed up in the kitchen for a good 45
minutes.
“The one of the staff said people
were walking back from wherever they had sought shelter and asked us if we
wanted to leave.
“At first we were reluctant but as we
looked out and some many people walking away, all of us decided to do the same.
“We walked briskly back to our hotel
which was just ten minutes away still not knowing what was happening.”
Maheswari said when they were back at
the hotel, they switched on the television and there was no news of the mayhem
at the Promenade.
“We then started to surf the internet
and it was then that dawned upon us what had happened.
“We were shocked but relieved that we
were safe.
“Images were horrifying and we just
thanked our lucky stars that nothing happened to us. We were so close to the
incident and anything could have happened to us.”
Maheswari said she immediately
decided to cut short the family’s annual holiday and return home.
“We still had another four days and
were supposed to continue tour and we supposed to head to Cannes and Montpellier
but we returned the very next day. We just wanted to get out of there and
return home.”
It was the second time Maheswari had
to cut short their holiday trip.
Earlier, Maheswari and her children
were in France for the Euro 2016 and had to cut short her trip as her
mother-in-law had passed away in Klang.
“We watched the quarterfinals match in
Saint-Denis between France and Iceland and were to watch the Portugal versus Wales in
Lyons, but had to skip the game and returned home for the funeral.”
Maheswari said it was the first time
that the family had planned to go to several places in France and somehow it
did not work out well.
“I have been to Paris and always
wanted to see the rest of France. But after what had happened – having to cut
short my trip twice – I have vowed never to go back to France because it is
full of bad memories.
“I am just glad that we are back home
safe and sound and feel blessed that we are alive.”
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