Zion Church attack: Eight-year-old who survived without sight needs urgent help

By Norman Palihawadana

Eight-year-old Elissa Deddi  is one of those who survived the Easter Sunday attack on the Zion Church in Batticaloa, in 2019, but lost her eyesight.

On that fateful day, little Elissa visited the church with her parents for the morning Mass. Both her mother and father died in the terror attack.

Elissa, a student of St. Mary’s College, Batticaloa, is looked after by one of her aunts.

When The Island yesterday contacted her foster mother, through the Parish Priest of the Zion Church, pastor Roshan Maheshan, she said that Elissa had to undergo surgery as soon as possible in a hospital in India to regain her eyesight.

‘We lack financial resources to take her to India for surgery.,” the  aunt said.

The girl had to go through the traumatic experience of losing both her parents and her sight.

Undaunted, Elissa is continuing with her studies learning braille, her aunt said.

Her mother was killed by the explosion on the spot, while her father breathed  his last a week later while being treated in hospital.

A series of almost simultaneous bomb explosions carried out by Muslim fanatics  targeting tourist hotels, and churches in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa on that day killed more than 250 persons and maimed so many others.  Pastor Roshan Maheshan can be contacted on 0777-233314.