By his side
Shakira arrives in Colombia to be with her father, who will undergo a major surgery
William Mebarak, 91, will receive a valve in his brain to address hydrocephalus issues
Shakira has had a busy week taking her across three countries in less than a week, and there is still more travel on the horizon. After her surprise visit to Spain last Sunday to take her kids, Milan and Sasha to see their dad, her ex, Gerard Piqué, she returned to Miami three days later, where she was spotted enjoying a Miami Heat game. Now, the pop star has just arrrived in Colombia to be by her 91-year-old father’s side. Her father, William Mebarak, is scheduled to undergo major surgery, and Shakira wants to be there during this challenging time.
Surrounded by her security team, consisting of three vans and two motorcycles, Shakira arrived at Serena del Mar Hospital in Cartagena de Indias, where her father was hospitalized on the third floor. According to Colombian press reports, William will receive medical care from the Santafe Foundation. Neurosurgeon Fernando Hakim will implant a valve in Mebarak’s brain to treat his hydrocephalus (accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) - a condition Shakira’s father has been battling for several months.
A Colombian outlet reported that the hospital staff had signed a confidentiality agreement, committing to discretion and protecting the privacy of the singer’s family during the surgical procedure, as expressly requested by Shakira and her brother Tonino, who is also said to be there supporting their father.
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It was also reported that Shakira, who will be staying in an exclusive apartment near the hospital during these days, had traveled to Colombia with her two children just two weeks ago so that they could see their grandfather before his surgery. The actual surgery date coincided with the time the children were supposed to be with Piqué.
In 2022, the singer’s father was hospitalized twice, first due to a severe fall that affected his hip and other parts of his body. During the second hospitalization, his family kept his diagnosis confidential. The health condition of Shakira’s father was one of the reasons why the singer postponed her move to Miami earlier this year. And when she left Barcelona last April, her father had to fly accompanied by a team of professionals who closely monitored his health throughout the journey.
