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    Teen Prodigy Recognized by Microsoft Now in Critical Condition

    A 16 year-old girl who was once deemed one of the youngest Microsoft Professionals in the world, is in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest on Dec. 22.

    Arfa Karim Randhawa, who received that recognition at age 9 after meeting Bill Gates, is currently on life support in a hospital in Pakistan. Doctors there say there's no hope for her survival, according to a report in The Express Tribune.

    [More from Mashable: New Xbox Dashboard Glitch Still Preventing Some From Going Online]

    Arfa's father, Lt Col (Retd) Amjad Karim Randhawa told the publication that that the cardiac arrest was caused by an epileptic attack, which also damaged her brain. "Only a miracle will allow my brilliant, genius daughter to live now," he told the paper.

    Arfa, who began showing an interest in computers at age 5, passed Microsoft's rigorous certification in 2004. To attain the credential, applicants had to show technical proficiency .Net, Visual Studio 6.0 and Windows Server 2003.

    [More from Mashable: After 2012, Microsoft Is Done With CES Keynotes]

    “Everyone thought the result was wrong,” Randhawa told The Tribune. Afterwards, when Arfa returned to Pakistan, she became a national celebrity. In 2006, Arfa also took part in the keynote session in the Microsoft Tech-Ed Developers conference in Barcelona.

    Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

    This story originally published on Mashable here.

     
    • Cathy  •  4 mths ago
      How very sad for her and her family.
      • . 4 mths ago
        What kind of heartless idiot would thumbs down this? Honestly, what is WRONG with you?
    • Bruce  •  Newark, New Jersey  •  4 mths ago
      Very sad to have such a bright mind exstinguished at such a young age.
      • Piratorious N.I.G. 4 mths ago
        There is no such word as 'exstinguished'... But very impressive choice of words... A dumber person would have gone with a word they know...
      • somitcw 4 mths ago
        extinguished
      • Bruce 4 mths ago
        sad pathetic souls who try to show they are smart by correcting a typo.I am impressed
    • steve  •  Sellersville, Pennsylvania  •  4 mths ago
      Neurological damage from a seizure is unrepairable. Once a seizure goes over ten minutes it begins to burn the neurons. If she did come out of this somehow, she will be cognitively different for the rest of her life. Her quality of life will be impacted heavily.
      • RUKidding 4 mths ago
        Thank you, Doctor.
      • Robert 4 mths ago
        HE ...steve...VERY well MAYBE a doc...one way to find out..look it up..
      • Aryan 4 mths ago
        Sad isn't it
    • Karen Y  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  4 mths ago
      Poor thing... What a loss of talent and genius.
    • daedae  •  4 mths ago
      sad news
    • david  •  Syracuse, New York  •  4 mths ago
      It's always a tragedy to lose a child, even an "ordinary" one. She should have been able to change the world with her brilliance. My deepest sympathy to her family, and I hope she beats the odds and survives.
    • calven  •  4 mths ago
      poor lil bunny, i hope she miraculously recovers.
    • SuperAnna  •  4 mths ago
      How sad, such a gifted young girl. She deserves more time.
    • justfixit  •  Greensboro, North Carolina  •  4 mths ago
      What a shame. If you have never have to deal with Epilepsy, then you have no understanding of how dangerous it can be. Seizure meds help but they are no guarantee of safety. I hope and pray that she recovers and that if she does, that her family can fully accept her.
    • TskTsk  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      I'd sacrifice our entire congress to spare this girl...
      • enraged 4 mths ago
        Very good trade.
      • Catherine Girod 4 mths ago
        We would absolutely be trading up.
      • Obama Zombie 4 mths ago
        how about the whitehouse? that would be a trade up too..even for a pile of #$%$
    • Paul Davis  •  4 mths ago
      How sad. Why couldnt it be some low life drug dealer that has the heart attack and the child prodigy grows up to be rich and happy?
    • PV  •  4 mths ago
      It is a sad thing when a brilliant mind is cut down before its prime. Its even a sadder thing for a family to lose a child. For those who place religion and politics above your humanity - shame upon you. This child and family do not deserve your ire. Can we even call ourselves human when we refuse to show even the smallest kindness to those who believe differently than we do? Only the guilty - those who act blindly and without regard to their fellow man - deserve our anger. Those whom are innocent, no matter what faith they practice or what politics they follow, deserve at the very least our sympathy when such a tragedy befalls them.
      If she does not recover, may she find peace and happiness in what comes beyond this mortal veil.
    • NessaTex  •  Beaumont, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      What a sad loss this will be to the whole world. Prayers and condolences to the family.
    • fixitright  •  4 mths ago
      they just said she does have signs of life
    • fixitright  •  4 mths ago
      LAHORE: Arifa Karim Randhawa, the child tech prodigy in critical condition, has shown some sign of life after she moved some of her fingers and her brain showed some activity, her Father Lt Col (Retd) Amjad Karim Randhawa told The Express Tribune on Friday.
    • ICU2  •  Livonia, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      This is a very tragic story . Prayers for the girl and family to pull through this. Our world need more intelligent young people from around the world.
    • Amanda Rachels  •  Gulf Shores, Alabama  •  4 mths ago
      For a young child to be in this situation is heartbreaking, more so by the remarkable talent and potential she had.

      Shame of those who are making cruel and sarcastic comments.
    • Devil Dog  •  4 mths ago
      I've nothing flippant to say about this story. She's absolutely incredible. Best wishes to her and her family for a speedy, complete recovery.
    • Mr. Khan  •  Phoenix, Arizona  •  4 mths ago
      she is died.May Allah rest her soul in peace and gives to her family courage to bear this tragic loss.let i repeat her quoting,If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind," she said. "If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind
    • Space Vegetable  •  4 mths ago
      So sad. We need more girl geeks (and I say that with greatest respect, as I take the title of "geek" myself).
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