Community Corner
‘She Loved Him Fiercely’ – Autism Advocate Feda Almaliti Dies While Trying To Save Son In Fremont House Fire
Smoke was billowing from the two-story home when firefighters arrived in the middle of the night to fight the blaze.
September 30, 2020 at 10:06 pm
FREMONT (KPIX 5) – Longtime autism rights activist Feda Almaliti, 43, who fought “boldly and fiercely” for treatment for her autistic son Muhammed, died after she ran back into their burning home to try and rescue him Saturday morning.
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The Fremont Fire Department responded to the two-story home on Serra Place at 1:44am, September 26, to find smoke billowing from the front door and flames coming from the rear of the home.
Investigators say Almaliti, her sister Salah, and Salah’s daughter escaped the fire, but realized Muhammed was still inside an upstairs bedroom. Almaliti ran back into the home to look for her son, calling him by an affectionate nickname ‘Hammoudeh’.
Find out what's happening in Fremontfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“I can hear the popping of glass and the faint noises of (Muhammed) crying, ‘No,No,No’ in response to Feda pleading with him,” Salah wrote on Facebook. “Hammoudeh, come on we have to go, now, we have to get out now!”
Longtime friend Karen Fessel, who also has an autistic son, said the children can be overwhelmed by chaotic sounds and lights.
Read more at CBS San Francisco
