Coptic mother sacrifices her life to save 2 daughters

CAIRO – 31 December 2017: Nermin Sadik, 32, the brave Coptic mother who gave up her life to save her daughters from the heinous terrorist attack that hit the Martyr Mina Helwan Church, drawing a vivid example of real mothers’ sacrifices.

Accompanying her daughters to their religious lessons in the church, Sadik was shocked when she saw a terrorist holding a gun, so she quickly pushed her daughters, Nesma, 11, and Karin, 7, away and fell to the ground.

"After falling, the terrorist looked angrily at a necklace on my mother’s neck and then took out a weapon and fired several bullets at us. One of them hit my mother,” Sadik’s elder daughter, Nesma, said to El-Masry El-Youm.

Nesma also said that the terrorist tried to kill her and her younger sister but Sadik, on her last breathes, held them between her arms to protect them from flying bullets.

Sadik works as a nurse; her job is to save and help the sick people. “She was affectionate for everyone and she liked to help without charge,” Sadik’s husband said.

The church attack took place on Friday morning when two armed men used firearms to target dozens of Christian worshippers attending a religious service, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

According to the statement, attackers opened fire at a household appliances shop, then headed to the church, where they attempted to trespass the church's perimeter security.

"The security forces were able to capture one of the attackers after shooting him, and managed to defuse an explosive belt that was fastened around the militant's chest, while the other one fled the scene," the ministry said.