Acid-attack survivor Nafiah Ikram, of Elmont, moving forward, despite obstacles
Nafiah Ikram won’t let her scars define her.
Nearly four years after an unknown attacker threw acid in her face, blinding her in one eye, the Elmont resident is still not fully healed. She struggles with depression and anger over her experience. And despite a $50,000 reward and nationwide attention on her case, her assailant remains at large.
But Ikram, 25, is nonetheless moving forward with her life, determined to regain her confidence and maintain a positive outlook. She has resumed classes at Hofstra University, where she was a pre-med student prior to the attack, and hopes to one day become a doctor. She has spoken out about her ordeal and found support with friends, other survivors and a personal trainer who she said has helped her trust others again.
"I think having the scars taught me that I had to teach myself to love myself for who I am. It's not about how you look, it's about the soul," she said during a recent interview at her home. "I thought in order to survive, I would tell myself I'm not going to look like that forever. But now I have to start loving myself for who I am, not what I look like."
On the night of March 17, 2021, Ikram had just returned home with her mother, after working at her job at a CVS pharmacy. As she walked around the passenger side of the car to grab food, she said she sensed someone watching her. She then saw a man wearing a hoodie and a ski mask.
She heard footsteps, and she was splashed with what she initially believed was warm juice.
"I was confused," Ikram said. "And then maybe five seconds later, my face started burning, so I started panicking and running into my house."
She sustained second- and third-degree burns to her face, chest and arms. The acid melted her contact lenses, blinding her in the right eye. At first, she couldn’t shower or eat solid foods. She couldn't breathe at times because the acid burned her esophagus and caused part of her nose to collapse.
"Sometimes I can't even believe it," Ikram said. "I look in the mirror and I still can't believe this happened to me."
Ikram said she did not get a good look at her attacker, but he is believed to be about 6-2 with a thin build and was wearing gloves. The FBI and police have released photos of a red 2013-15 Nissan Altima seen speeding away from her home.
Ikram and her mother, Sherina Mohamed, said they believe the attack was planned but do not think she was targeted due to her religion or ethnicity. Ikram is Muslim. She was born in the Bronx but her father immigrated to the United States from Pakistan.
"They were waiting for her to come home ... We were thinking that there had to be somebody who didn't like her," Mohamed said. "For whatever reason, someone jealous of her, and they just want to destroy her."
Police have released few details about their investigation. Shortly after the attack, police said there was no evidence to determine whether it was a hate crime.
Nassau County police have said they served multiple search warrants and conducted several interviews, but a suspect had not been identified. Police said they are still searching for the assailant.
"The Ikram case continues to be an ongoing investigation that detectives are working very hard to conclude," Lt. Scott Skrynecki said in a statement.
Ikram said she wants to find her attacker, not only to get justice for herself, but to make sure no one else is harmed.
"I wouldn't want this to happen to someone else. Honestly, it's the worst and it's a very, very difficult thing to go through mentally," she said.
Since the attack, Ikram said she has undergone nearly a dozen surgeries to reconstruct her face and address her other injuries.
After the latest surgery, to repair her eyelid, she said she hoped to restore her vision but couldn't meet with a surgeon specializing in cornea stem cell transplants. She was unable to have the surgery after learning how invasive it would be and that it would compromise her immune system.
As the fourth anniversary of the attack approaches, she said she is still fighting depression and anger.
"I've honestly been just trying to catch a break," Ikram said. "I feel like one second, everything's fine, and the next minute, everything just turned all the way upside down and I find myself like not being able to breathe."
The attack gained worldwide attention in 2021, and a GoFundMe campaign — promoted by former "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi, whom Ikram’s father chauffeurs — raised nearly $600,000.
But even though she said detectives still check in regularly, at times the family feels forgotten.
"I feel like the story kind of died down and people, even in our neighborhood, don't know that I'm the girl that got acid-attacked to begin with," she said.
Ikram said her friends have helped with her recovery, as has dark humor about her condition. She manages her anger and grief through yoga, journaling and talking to other acid-attack victims, she said.
"You need to have support because if you don't, it's either make it or break it," Ikram said. "Going through what I went through, when you don't have support, it's really, really horrible."
She has also found unexpected solace in her personal trainer, Michael Padovano, who she also described as a life coach. He works with her weekly at Synergy Fitness in Franklin Square.
Padovano, 67, of Farmingdale, said the two met three years ago, after the attack when he saw her in the gym.
"I was overwhelmed by her courage and strength and determination to make a difference. She’s one of my heroes," he said.
Ikram said Padovano has pushed her to be more confident and independent and helped her "trust people again."
Though her vision is still blurry, she can now drive with limitations and has returned to college on a part-time basis. She said she still constantly looks over her shoulder, but refuses to let her fear or trauma hold her back. She proudly wears clothing that shows her scars, she said.
"As humbling as this year has been, it's also something I want to use to reflect on to be better next year, and that's what I'm hoping to accomplish," Ikram said. "I would say for the upcoming year, my New Year's resolution is to just be 1% better every day."
Nafiah Ikram won’t let her scars define her.
Nearly four years after an unknown attacker threw acid in her face, blinding her in one eye, the Elmont resident is still not fully healed. She struggles with depression and anger over her experience. And despite a $50,000 reward and nationwide attention on her case, her assailant remains at large.
But Ikram, 25, is nonetheless moving forward with her life, determined to regain her confidence and maintain a positive outlook. She has resumed classes at Hofstra University, where she was a pre-med student prior to the attack, and hopes to one day become a doctor. She has spoken out about her ordeal and found support with friends, other survivors and a personal trainer who she said has helped her trust others again.
"I think having the scars taught me that I had to teach myself to love myself for who I am. It's not about how you look, it's about the soul," she said during a recent interview at her home. "I thought in order to survive, I would tell myself I'm not going to look like that forever. But now I have to start loving myself for who I am, not what I look like."
'My face started burning'
On the night of March 17, 2021, Ikram had just returned home with her mother, after working at her job at a CVS pharmacy. As she walked around the passenger side of the car to grab food, she said she sensed someone watching her. She then saw a man wearing a hoodie and a ski mask.
She heard footsteps, and she was splashed with what she initially believed was warm juice.
"I was confused," Ikram said. "And then maybe five seconds later, my face started burning, so I started panicking and running into my house."
She sustained second- and third-degree burns to her face, chest and arms. The acid melted her contact lenses, blinding her in the right eye. At first, she couldn’t shower or eat solid foods. She couldn't breathe at times because the acid burned her esophagus and caused part of her nose to collapse.
"Sometimes I can't even believe it," Ikram said. "I look in the mirror and I still can't believe this happened to me."
Nafiah Ikram before the acid attack. Credit: Ikram Family
Ikram said she did not get a good look at her attacker, but he is believed to be about 6-2 with a thin build and was wearing gloves. The FBI and police have released photos of a red 2013-15 Nissan Altima seen speeding away from her home.
Ikram and her mother, Sherina Mohamed, said they believe the attack was planned but do not think she was targeted due to her religion or ethnicity. Ikram is Muslim. She was born in the Bronx but her father immigrated to the United States from Pakistan.
"They were waiting for her to come home ... We were thinking that there had to be somebody who didn't like her," Mohamed said. "For whatever reason, someone jealous of her, and they just want to destroy her."
Police have released few details about their investigation. Shortly after the attack, police said there was no evidence to determine whether it was a hate crime.
Nafiah with her mother, Sherina Mohamed, at their home in December. Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez
Nassau County police have said they served multiple search warrants and conducted several interviews, but a suspect had not been identified. Police said they are still searching for the assailant.
"The Ikram case continues to be an ongoing investigation that detectives are working very hard to conclude," Lt. Scott Skrynecki said in a statement.
Ikram said she wants to find her attacker, not only to get justice for herself, but to make sure no one else is harmed.
"I wouldn't want this to happen to someone else. Honestly, it's the worst and it's a very, very difficult thing to go through mentally," she said.
Setbacks and progress
Since the attack, Ikram said she has undergone nearly a dozen surgeries to reconstruct her face and address her other injuries.
After the latest surgery, to repair her eyelid, she said she hoped to restore her vision but couldn't meet with a surgeon specializing in cornea stem cell transplants. She was unable to have the surgery after learning how invasive it would be and that it would compromise her immune system.
As the fourth anniversary of the attack approaches, she said she is still fighting depression and anger.
"I've honestly been just trying to catch a break," Ikram said. "I feel like one second, everything's fine, and the next minute, everything just turned all the way upside down and I find myself like not being able to breathe."
The attack gained worldwide attention in 2021, and a GoFundMe campaign — promoted by former "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi, whom Ikram’s father chauffeurs — raised nearly $600,000.
But even though she said detectives still check in regularly, at times the family feels forgotten.
"I feel like the story kind of died down and people, even in our neighborhood, don't know that I'm the girl that got acid-attacked to begin with," she said.
Ikram said her friends have helped with her recovery, as has dark humor about her condition. She manages her anger and grief through yoga, journaling and talking to other acid-attack victims, she said.
"You need to have support because if you don't, it's either make it or break it," Ikram said. "Going through what I went through, when you don't have support, it's really, really horrible."
She has also found unexpected solace in her personal trainer, Michael Padovano, who she also described as a life coach. He works with her weekly at Synergy Fitness in Franklin Square.
Padovano, 67, of Farmingdale, said the two met three years ago, after the attack when he saw her in the gym.
"I was overwhelmed by her courage and strength and determination to make a difference. She’s one of my heroes," he said.
Ikram said Padovano has pushed her to be more confident and independent and helped her "trust people again."
Though her vision is still blurry, she can now drive with limitations and has returned to college on a part-time basis. She said she still constantly looks over her shoulder, but refuses to let her fear or trauma hold her back. She proudly wears clothing that shows her scars, she said.
"As humbling as this year has been, it's also something I want to use to reflect on to be better next year, and that's what I'm hoping to accomplish," Ikram said. "I would say for the upcoming year, my New Year's resolution is to just be 1% better every day."
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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