Family honors man killed by falling tree during Storm Darragh

The family of a Birmingham man who died after being struck by a falling tree during Storm Darragh has paid tribute to him as the “best dad that anyone could ever wish for.” Kahir Shahin Hussain, 55, from Aston, lost his life when a tree collapsed onto the car he was driving on Sutton Road in Erdington, Birmingham, at approximately 15:00 GMT on Saturday. One of his daughters, Fatima, stated that Mr. Hussain, a father of seven who owned a restaurant in Lichfield, Staffordshire, was “so loved in the community.” She told the BBC, “He made us feel so special in different ways, he was such a family man.” She added, “He did everything for his parents until they passed away too.” In an emotional interview, Imrama Begum, Mr. Hussain’s wife of over three decades, described her husband as a “loving” and “caring” man. She expressed, “He’s like an angel for me. I don’t know how I’ll survive.” The couple, who were set to celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary in March, had also been fostering three children. Ms. Begum recounted, “He’d take them everywhere, swimming, McDonald’s, park, everywhere… My husband [was] a very supportive person. He supported me all my life.” Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Fatima explained that her father had left their home during the storm to pick up her sister from work but never arrived. Both she and her mother described attempting to call him without a response, which prompted his wife to go and search for him. Ms. Begum detailed driving to Sutton Road, where she found the road closed and surrounded by police cars and ambulances. After speaking with officers at the scene, she was taken into a police car and informed of her husband’s death. She tearfully explained, “And then after 15 minutes later, I’m with my youngest daughter, they gave me news my husband [was] gone.” She added, “That’s too much for me.” Fatima, who now resides in Dubai, flew back to Birmingham after receiving a message from her youngest sister stating: “I think dad’s gone.” She further commented, “I was with my friends and I literally like fell onto the floor. I don’t even know how I made the flight back.” Mr. Hussain, who had five grandchildren, was also known across the region as the head chef and owner of the Qmin Indian restaurant in Lichfield. Fatima remarked, “Our house it’s full of people… because my dad was so loved in the community and he helped so many people.” Hundreds of trees were brought down in the West Midlands amidst 60mph (97kmh) winds as the storm battered the region over the weekend, leading to road closures and blocked rail lines. Residents near Sutton Road reported hearing a “big bang” and seeing a “big chunk” of the tree across the car’s windscreen on Saturday, with people attempting to open the vehicle’s doors. Ms. Begum tearfully urged Birmingham City Council to cut down potentially dangerous trees in the area. She stated, “I’m just telling council and private property, please look after your trees, how’s my husband gone? I don’t want anybody killed like him, please.” In a statement, Birmingham city councillor Majid Mahmood conveyed that his thoughts were with Mr. Hussain’s family and friends. He commented, “At the weekend, Storm Darragh caused a huge amount of damage across the country and Birmingham, with dozens of trees coming down due to very high winds.” He added, “We do regular inspections of trees but of course we will take on board any findings from the investigation.”