The UAE Air Force’s aerobatic display team soared the skies across all seven emirates, in honor of the frontliners. On 21 June, Al Fursan high-fliers zoomed over hospitals in the country, paying homage to the tireless efforts put in by the healthcare officials in fighting the pandemic.
فريق فرسان الإمارات للاستعراضات الجوية يحلق فوق مستشفى دبي لتوجيه تحية من الأجواء لأبطال خط دفاعنا الأول #دبي #الإمارات pic.twitter.com/a5Hvm8eg0l
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 23, 2020
The colourful display painted the skies across Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Kuwait Hospital in Dubai and field hospitals in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, who is also Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has lauded the contribution of health care workers in the face of the pandemic, hailing them as a constant “source of pride”.
Medical workers were surprised as they gazed in awe of the stunning celebration.
What Else?
The UAE has done its bit in honor of healthcare workers and how! While the UAE Aerobatics Team took to the skies, a 12-year-old Dubai girl performed an act of kindness and novelty to help health workers. The little girl created a record of her own when she swam 12 km in her home, to raise money to support frontliners. A resident of Dubai Sports City, Chloe Andrews swam in her 6m pool, finishing off a distance equivalent to the English Channel. The little girl aims to swim the English Channel someday.
How She Did It
Chole and her little brother wanted to do something constructive during the lockdown and what better than supporting the healthcare workers. She started her swim at 5.30 am last Friday. She swam for seven hours over two days, completing 7,700 laps in the small pool. On the second day, she had already completed 50km.
Challenges Faced
Apart from the distance, the biggest challenge one would face while swimming in Dubai in April is the summer. The scorching summer sun can be a big bummer for anyone, but Chole found a workaround for that too. Chloe’s father Greg Andrews, constructed a patchwork of umbrellas and sheets stretched out over and around the pool.
Chole certainly did not have to battle massive waves, but finishing 7,700 tumble turns in a small backyard pool was no easy feat. It even got her dizzy at times, but the 12-year-old did not give up.
Speaking to Gulf News, the girl’s father Andrews said: “Like most families, we’ve been isolated for weeks – but Chloe was inspired by the various sports feats around the world from marathons on a balcony to 99-year-old Captain Tom in the UK raising so much money in the fight against the virus. Chloe is a very determined girl and when she decided to attempt this feat, there was no stopping her.”
The little girl raised around AED 15,000 for a noble cause. The fundraiser was registered in the UAE by the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department.