Malala Yousufzai Reunited With Family, Father Says She ‘Will Rise Again’

Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani activist who was shot by the Taliban, has been reunited with her family in a British hospital on Friday, where she is recovering from the attempted assassination.

ABC News notes that Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousufzai, stated of his brave daughter:

“My daughter is my companion. I love her… There were tears in our eyes when we first saw her. It was tears of happiness.”

Malala’s father became tearful when he acknowledged that the family wasn’t sure if the teen girl would make it, saying that they had drawn up funeral plans for the 15-year-old activist, who was shot at point-blank range by the Taliban on October 9.

Ziauddin Yousufzai traveled from Pakistan to England with his wife and two sons to visit his daughter for the first time since the attempted assassination, calling Malala’s survival a “miracle.”

Malala Yousufzai will need her skull reconstructed, but she is showing no signs of brain damage and is expected to make a full recovery. Her father thanked the world on Friday for “supporting the cause for which she stands: peace and education.”

He also called her shooter “an agent of Satan — but I found angels on my side.” CBS News reports that Ziauddin Yousufzai added:

“They wanted to kill her. But she fell temporarily. She will rise again. She will stand again. She can stand now.”

They also released a video of Malala Yousufzai’s reunion with her family, which showed her in a hospital bed, surrounded by her family. The hospital has been publishing updates on Malala’s condition since she arrived in England.

They add that she has made a dramatic recovery, considering everything she has been through. Dr. David Rosser, who is treating the Pakistani girl, stated:

“All the signs of infection are now gone, we’re pleased to say. Really we’re very much in a phase of her care which is about recovery, both physical and psychological.”

Despite the fact that the Taliban have vowed to kill her, Malala Yousufzai’s father has stated that the family will not seek asylum abroad, but will be taking the young activist back to Pakistan with them.