Mother of two MH17 victims regrets not heeding son’s fears
Erin McLaughlin, Antonia Mortensen and Bryony Jones, CNN
Updated
8:29 AM EDT, Sat July 26, 2014
Story highlights
Samira Calehr's sons Miguel, 10, and Shaka, 19, were killed in MH17 crash
Calehr's middle son Mika was booked on a later flight because the plane was full
She says Miguel voiced fears the plane would crash while waiting at airport
Mother: "I said don't be silly, everything's going to be OK... I didn't listen to him"
(CNN) —
The mother of two brothers killed in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 told CNN she regrets not taking her youngest son’s fears about the flight more seriously.
Ten-year-old Miguel Calehr died alongside his older brother Shaka, 19, when the Malaysia Airlines jet came down in Ukraine, close to the border with Russia, last Thursday.
The pair were on their way to the Indonesian island of Bali for a fun-filled holiday with their grandmother.
Their middle brother, Mika, 16, was supposed to be on the flight too, but it was fully booked, and he had to take a seat on a later plane.
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
The passengers and crew aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 came from around the world and held a wide range of hopes and dreams. While the identities of the 298 people aboard have not been release by the airline, CNN has been able to confirm some of them via family, friends and social media.
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Joshua Paul/AP
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Karlijn Keijzer, 25, was a champion rower from Amsterdam who showed much passion and leadership in the United States as a member of the team at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
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Courtesy Indiana University
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Miguel Calehr, left, and his older brother Shaka were both aboard the flight. They were on their way to Bali to visit their grandmother. Their middle brother, Mika, was supposed to be on the flight as well, but it was fully booked.
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The Calehr family/AP
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
A 77-year-old teacher and Roman Catholic nun, Sister Philomene Tiernan, was on the flight, according to Australia's Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart. The school principal described Tiernan as "wonderfully wise and compassionate."
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From Kincoppal-Rose Bay
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
On Friday, President Barack Obama told reporters that an American, Quinn Lucas Schansman, was aboard. His Facebook page said he was a student at International Business School Hogeschool van Amsterdam.
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from facebook
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
The World Health Organization was able to confirm to CNN that their employee Glenneth Thomas was on board and heading to the International AIDS Conference scheduled to begin this weekend in Melbourne, Australia.
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courtesy Jordan Withers
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Shazana Salleh, a Malaysian national, was one of 15 crew members aboard.
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courtesy Carlmen Low Kar Mar
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Prominent Dutch scientist Joep Lange was a pioneer in HIV research and a former president of the International AIDS Society, which organizes the International AIDS Conference.
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JEAN AYISSI/AFP/Getty Images
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Jacqueline van Tongeren, partner of HIV researcher Joep Lange, was on the flight with him.
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From aighd.org
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Medical student Andrei Anghel, 24, boarded Flight 17 on his way to vacation in Bali.
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From LinkedIn
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Darryl Dwight Gunawan, 20, was traveling home to the Philippines after a summer vacation with his family. His mother, Irene Gunawan, 54, and sister Sheryl Shania Gunawan, 15, were also aboard.
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Courtesy Gianni Walian
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
John Paulissen, his wife Yuli Hastini and their two children, Martin Arjuna and Sri were all aboard the flight.
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ap
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 passengers remembered —
Tessa van der Sande, an Amnesty International employee, was on the flight.
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From Facebook
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 passengers remembered —
Angeline Premila Rajandaran was a flight attendant, one of the 15 crew on board.
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From Facebook
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 passengers remembered —
A lover of French literature, Adi Soetjipto, 73, was returning home to Jakarta, Indonesia, after her annual visit to her mother in the Netherlands, nephew Joss Wibisono said.
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Family Photo
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Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Nick Norris and his three grandchildren, Otis, 8, Evie,10 and Mo, 12, were all aboard the flight.
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seven network/From Facebook
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Pim de Kuijer was also on his way to the International AIDS Conference.
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From Facebook
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Husband and wife Albert and Maree Rizk were among the passengers on board.
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Seven Network
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Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Musician Cor Schilfder was on vacation with girlfriend NeeltjeTol, a florist.
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Family Photo
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Shun Poh Fan and wife Jenny Loh were restaurant owners in the Netherlands.
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Family Photo
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Fatima Dycynski was an engineer and the founder and CEO of Xoterra Space.
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From xoterra/Tedx
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Arjen and Yvonne Ryder
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courtesy drew ryder
Photos: Photos: Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered
Malaysia Flight 17 victims remembered —
Flight attendant Sanjid Singh Sandu swapped flights at the last moment on Thursday and boarded MH17 in Amsterdam so he could get home early, his parents told CNN.
Just hours before the flight was to depart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Miguel told his mother he was nervous.
“After entering the passport [line], he came back to me and said ‘Mama, I love you. I’m happy to see Oma [Grandma], but I’m going to miss you,’” Samira Calehr told CNN.
Then, she said, he asked her, “‘What happens when the plane will crash?’
“I said, ‘Come on, don’t be silly, you’ve been traveling already so many times. Everything’s going to be OK.’”
It was the sort of pre-flight fear many travelers will be familiar with, brushed off by a casual remark parents all over the world are used to making.
But single mom Calehr says she now wishes she’d paid more attention to his worries: “If I could just turn back time. I didn’t listen to him. I don’t know, I have no words to say…”
Still stunned by the tragedy which has overtaken her family, she pleads: “Why didn’t they take my life? They are still young, they still have a future. Why? Why the children? Why not me?”
Samira’s brother Harun told CNN his nephew Mika was being “very brave” – like his mother and grandmother.
“It comes in waves,” he explained. “One minute they’re completely distraught and inconsolable, and the other minute they’re smiling and reminiscing and talking about the fun things that the boys did: the good things, the fun times, the memories.”
Harun said the boys were good students. “They worked hard, they were honest, they were fun to be around.” Above all, he said, “they were such a blessing to my sister. … They were a joy to her, and the reason for her being.”
The boys’ grandmother, Yasmine Calehr, said the family was heartbroken: “Everybody is crying, everybody is losing something that belonged to them, but we feel like we have lost ourselves as well.”
Harun said they were now focused on ensuring the boys’ remains are repatriated to the Netherlands, where they can be given a proper farewell.
“As devastating as this process has been, we would like to have a grave, something to put into a grave… some remains or possibly the bodies intact to come home,” he said.
Mika, now the only surviving son, told CNN he has lost his “best friends” but insists the bond he has with Miguel and Shaka will go on beyond the grave.
“It feels like they’re already one with me now,” he said. “They’re my best friends, they’re my brothers, and I feel like they’re going to watch over me forever.”
