Tributes have poured in on social media for popular Emirati drag racer Hamda Taryam, who reportedly died in the early hours of Saturday.
A family friend of Hamda confirmed to the Khaleej Times that the burial will take place in Sharjah on Saturday evening.
“It is with great sadness and grief that we received the news of her (Taryam) death this (Saturday) morning. We hope the Almighty will give her family fortitude,” UAE media personality Munzir Al Muzaki Al Shamsi shared in a post.
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The 24-year-old, who started racing as a teenager, shot to fame as the star of the Netflix show ‘The Fastest’. It is yet unclear how she died.
An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Hamda used her earnings to build a school and hospital in Uganda.
In an interview with the Khaleej Times in August last year, Hamda shared her joy in working for others. “When I first saw the kids coming into the school, I cried,” she said. “Many of them, they are orphans. This school is the only hope they have. I am the only family they have. Their love was so pure.”
The funeral for Hamda is set on Saturday after Isha prayers. Condolence meets will be held for men and women separately, as is the Emirati custom.
An avid social media user, Hamda’s last few posts on social media platform Snapchat show her sharing details about her day including her breakfast. Her last post was on Friday at 5.58pm, in which she said she was driving to Abu Dhabi.
(With inputs from Ruqayya Al Qaydi)