December 30, 2004
10 year old Saleh Khalef was reunited with his mother in SF on Dec 21. A year earlier, he picked up a roadside bomb in Iraq, & the explosion destroyed both hands, 1 eye, shredded his abdomen, & killed his 16yo brother Dia. USAF surgeons broke protocol to operate on him in their trauma unit, nicknaming him Lion Heart for his amazing survival.
With his father Raheem, Saleh was flown to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where he began a long series of operations.
"Well-wishers sent Saleh piles of stuffed animals & toy cars. A Yemeni couple in Oakland made daily treks with yogurt & rice. Muslim groups in Oakland & Marin collected nearly $4000 for Raheem & Saleh. Arabic professors from UC Berkeley came by to console Raheem. Schoolchildren made Saleh quilts & cards. Nurses brought balloons. Firefighters dropped by with a red hat & miniature fire truck."Just before Christmas, his mother, 2 sisters, & baby brother flew to Oakland, to be with Saleh & start a new life as legal immigrants. SFgate has the whole story at Operation Lion Heart, including how to donate to Saleh's fund. Read it & be humble.
Posted by Jeff at December 30, 2004 09:38 AM
