At only 10 years of age, Ahmad has already lived through obstacles and danger that very few people live in their lifetime. Despite losing his elder brother five months ago to an airstrike, and despite living in the torn city of Allepo under constant missile fire, Ahmad’s smile has never left his face. His words have always been optimistic and the strength he possesses is unrivalled – even after falling victim to an explosion that lodged a sharpnell across his back.
When Ahmad’s brother, Ismail, passed, Ahmad left school to help support his family and began working at a printing house. The morning of Feb. 27 – three months after starting his job— Ahmad noticed the sound of warplanes was unusually loud, he quickly hid under a table, and moments later he heard a large explosion coming from across the street. He recalls shrapnel and fragments were flying all over, and ultimately a piece of shrapnel lodged itself in Ahmad’s lower back.
Paramedics quickly transferred the10 year-old to Bab al Hawa hospital’s pediatric unit, where he received proper care and has had several successful surgeries to treat his injury. Ahmad is on the road to recovery and although there is still a long way to go, he remains optimistic and hopeful and his smile continues to light up the rooms of Bab al Hawa hospital.
