Sabine Bourguignon was a victim of the metro attack in Maelbeek. She miraculously survived the explosion which took place in the second metro car, close to Khalid El Bakraoui. However, Bourguignon suffered from amnesia, and could not recall any of the events. She had awoken in the hospital in early May, wondering why she was there. Upon learning about the attack, she was shocked as she had no recollection of it. At first, she believed it was an accident until she learned the truth.
Witnessing by her side, Bourguignon’s mother recalls the difficult days following the attack. She learned of her daughter’s situation through her son-in-law’s phone call. The family was initially refused to see Bourguignon by the doctors. However, they persisted until they were allowed to visit her for a short period. She had numerous fractures and required an artificial coma to save her life.
Court photographs reveal Bourguignon’s unrecognizable face, which was wrapped in bandages, a stark contrast to her appearance while testifying. Bourguignon underwent about thirty operations in the hospital and a further twenty after. Her mother noted that her daughter suffered from memory losses and would often repeat herself without realizing it. Despite her condition, Bourguignon could recall her memories from five to six months around the attack.
Sabine Bourguignon was in the second metro car in Maelbeek, not far from Khalid El Bakraoui when he blew himself up. It is one of the rare miracles of the attack. Today it is also the testimony of an amnesiac, facts, she does not remember anything: “I woke up at the beginning of May in the hospital, I wondered why I was there”. When she learns from her relatives that she was the victim of the metro attack, she cannot believe it ” cwas inconceivable because I couldn’t remember it at all”. Rather an accident, she had thought at the start, when she woke up in the hospital. Then she had to face the facts.
I wondered why I was there
His mother testifies by his side, she will never forget these terrible days, “my son-in-law who calls me to tell me that Sabine is in the hospital, later that she is in intensive care”. When they arrive at the hospital, the doctors refuse the parents to see their daughter, “I told them that I would not leave without having seen her”. Their insistence will eventually wear off, they are allowed to see her for a few minutes only, “she had numerous fractures in the shoulder blades, in the hip, a concussion”. She will be placed in an artificial coma to save her vital resources.
Thirty operations in the hospital, twenty afterwards
Photos seen in court show an unrecognizable face, wrapped in bandages. Difficult to recognize the same person as the one who testifies today “I don’t know how to put dates because I underwent about thirty operations in the hospital and another twenty afterwards. The last ones on my ear”.
“Do you have any memories from before?” asks the president. Sabine Bourguignon replies that the amnesia is limited to a period of five to six months, around the attack. Her mother explains that for a long time she often repeated the same things to her, no longer knowing that she had already spoken about them.
The road to recovery after a traumatic event can be long and arduous, as Sabine Bourguignon’s story reminds us. Despite suffering injuries and undergoing numerous surgeries, she has managed to make it back to a semblance of normalcy. Amnesia has robbed her of memories that she would have wanted to hold onto forever, but even without them, her strength and resilience shine through. As she steps out into the world once again, we can only hope that she finds peace and happiness.