Good news
Inara home
By JACK BOLAND AND CHRIS DOUCETTE, TORONTO SUN
Girl tossed onto highway goes home
Inara Amarsi pictured last Halloween wearing her fairy princess costume at her home (Photo: Amarsi family)
Home again, Inara Amarsi made a beeline for her favourite toy -- a Dora the Explorer puzzle in her Don Mills highrise yesterday. Then it was the 5-year-old's favourite meal -- chicken nuggets and cereal -- followed by a nap before the colouring books came out.
Just over two weeks ago, little Inara was on death's door suffering from life-threatening injuries after her suicidal father tossed her off a bridge onto Hwy 401.
But miraculously she was released from hospital yesterday and is well on her way to recovery at home.
At the door of the apartment last night, her beaming uncle Altaf Noorali held up a large green get-well card from her kindergarten class.
SCORE OF CARDS
"Hope you feel better soon, we miss you," it said in large block letters.
There were scores of other cards, too, some from as far off as Phoenix, Ariz., and Oregon.
"We've lost count. They keep coming," Noorali said.
"When she feels better she's going to read all her get-well cards," he said.
He planned to spend the evening preparing thank-you cards "to show our gratitude."
Inara's mom, Shamsha Hassam, was full of that same gratitude in a brief but emotional statement made earlier in the day at the Hospital for Sick Children.
"It gives me great pleasure to advise that Inara is fine and will be back to her normal routine in due course," she said.
Though the child still needs to wear a neckbrace, doctors felt she was well enough to be released from hospital.
Her mom chose not to answer any questions, but she did express her gratitude to hospital staff and thanked the public.
"I would like to thank all those who have supported Inara and me with their good wishes, generosity and prayers," Hassam said. "I'm very grateful to all of you and it has touched my heart to see so many people, from all over the country, praying for my daughter."
Alnoor Amarsi, 48, flung the youngster 15 metres down to Canada's busiest highway from the Don Mills Rd. overpass on March 6. Fortunately she was not hit by oncoming traffic.
The vengeful father -- who had been having a Sunday visit with Inara -- then jumped to his own death. In his suicide note, Amarsi said he hated his estranged wife and he planned to kill their daughter.
'SHE'S DONE WELL'
Inara lay unconscious with serious chest and abdominal injuries, and needed a ventilator to help her breathe in the days following the incident.
"She's done well," said hospital spokesman Lisa Lipkin, who refused to talk about the girl's emotional state. "Doctors were happy with her progress and felt she was ready to go home."
She said Inara's abdominal and chest injuries have healed, but she will have to wear the neckbrace for at least two weeks. For the time being, Inara will remain as an outpatient and receive physiotherapy and counselling, Lipkin said.
A trust fund has been set up for Inara at CIBC branches: The transit number is 00002, the account number 8688435, and the institution number is 010.
Jane