Friendship, faith lift bodyguard after near-fatal accident

2026-03-23 - 00:20

Amyza Yaacob sees her ordeal as an opportunity to better herself. PETALING JAYA: When Amyza Yaacob lay broken in a hospital bed after a devastating road crash last July, it was not just doctors and nurses who helped her through the darkest days — it was the quiet, unwavering presence of two friends who refused to leave her side. Their support would become the lifeline that helped the former bodyguard to Malaysia’s first woman deputy prime minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, slowly find her footing again. This Aidilfitri, the celebration carries a deeper meaning for the Kuala Krai native — a reminder that she survived an accident that nearly claimed her life. Recalling the crash, Amyza said she had been riding her motorcycle from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur when she rammed into the rear of a car that had stopped by the roadside. It is believed that the car had pulled over for another person to take over as driver. “The accident left both my thighs broken, my right knee shattered and I suffered internal bleeding,” said the former Special Actions Unit officer. She spent three weeks in the intensive care unit at Hospital Sungai Buloh, facing a painful and uncertain recovery. “I cried many times in the hospital. I never imagined I would have to endure such a long recovery,” she told FMT. Her ordeal worsened when her work contract was not renewed, leaving her suddenly without a job or a steady income. Amyza Yaacob (centre) once served as the personal bodyguard to Malaysia’s first woman deputy prime minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. But through the darkest moments, Amyza said two close friends — Amira Yusuf and Siti Khadijah Hasan — stepped in to care for her when she could barely care for herself. “They bathed me, made sure I ate and helped me to the toilet,” she said, choking with emotion. “Friends like that are one in a million.” Messages of encouragement also poured in from followers on social media, many offering prayers for her recovery, though some questioned her decision to leave the police force. Amyza said she had long prepared herself for life’s uncertainties. “Even before I lost my job, I had prepared myself for whatever might come. What’s meant for you will always find its way to you,” she said. Earlier this year, a new opportunity arrived. “Alhamdulillah, I was offered a job as a bodyguard to a businessman’s wife,” she said. Looking back, Amyza believes the accident was more than just a painful ordeal. It was a moment that forced her to pause, reflect, and rebuild. “Allah gave me time off and time to rest,” she said softly. “Allah gave me a second chance.”