The mother of one of the two young girls who tragically died on the train tracks in New York City has spoken out following the appearance of alarming stunts online.
Zemfira Mukhtarov, merely 12 years old, lost her life in the early hours of Saturday morning (October 4) during a subway surfing incident with a 13-year-old friend.
The authorities discovered the girls deceased on top of an incoming J train at the Marcy Avenue stop in Brooklyn, with police responding around 3am ET.
Upon their arrival, officials encountered ‘two unconscious and unresponsive females,’ with medical personnel pronouncing them dead at the scene.
The heartbreaking incident occurred just a month after Zemfira uploaded a video on her TikTok account, lying on train tracks. Her mother also revealed that Zemfira frequently snuck out to perform such perilous stunts, similar to the night she died.
“I always work, and I don’t know what she’s doing, what time she’s doing,” her heartbroken mother, Nataliya Rudenko, told The New York Post.
“One time I see she is on the top of the Williamsburg Bridge, [pretending to] hold our city on her hand.”
The Williamsburg Bridge, spanning the East River in New York City, links the Lower East Side of Manhattan with Brooklyn and stands 310 feet tall, making it five feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.
A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by Zemfira’s grieving father.
“With heavy hearts, we are reaching out for support after the tragic loss of my beloved daughter, Zemfira, who passed away in a devastating accident at a subway station,” wrote Ruslan Mukhtarov.
“She was 12 and she was supposed to celebrate her 13th birthday in just 2 weeks, full of life, and taken from us far too soon in a heartbreaking incident that we believe was a subway surfing accident.
“No parent should ever have to face the pain of losing a child, and no child should lose their life in such a tragic way. We are struggling to process this immense grief, and we are turning to our community for help to give Zemfira the respectful and loving farewell she deserves.”
Ruslan continued: “We are raising funds to cover the costs of her funeral and memorial services, as this unexpected tragedy has left us financially unprepared.
“Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us honor Zemfira’s memory and lay her to rest with the dignity she deserves. If you’re unable to donate, please share this fundraiser or keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
“Thank you for your kindness, support, and love during this incredibly difficult time.”