A Yazidi toddler who was severely burned has been reunited with his parents after flying halfway across the world to receive medical treatment for his wounds. It was an emotional reunion for a family who has suffered multiple tragedies and adversities since ISIS came onto the scene in 2014.
For several years now, Yazidi and Christian children have routinely been forced to leave their homes due to the threat of ISIS. The resulting exodus has led to less than ideal living situations that in many cases have led to compounding tragedies.
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The Muhsin family are a young Yazidi couple that fled with their 2-year-old son to a Northern Iraq IDP camp.
Once they escaped the threat of ISIS, they couldn’t have foreseen the danger in their own temporary living quarters. The gas heater in the small makeshift home ended up accidentally setting their child’s crib on fire, leaving their son with severe third and fourth degree burns.
The extensive burns caused left the toddler in desperate need of immediate medical attention.
Badly burned Iraqi toddler reunited with parents after nearly four months @drsanjaygupta has more.https://t.co/8RBtEcxHX5
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) February 23, 2017
But for two parents living in a camp and a country at war, they had very few medical options within Iraq, so they made the difficult decision to send their toddler to the United States with the help of a UK based humanitarian group named Road to Peace, an organization that helps refugees living in combat zones.
One can imagine how difficult it would be to send your child off to a completely foreign land and not be with them.
But coming to America has changed Dilibireen’s life.
The child has since healed and get the necessary treatment for a severe burn victim. They’ve also received help from “surrogate mother” Adlay Kejjan of the Yazidi American Woman’s group.
When the female run organization realized the toddler had no family, women like Kejjan stepped in to help care for Dilibireen over the past three and a half months.
But of course, nothing can replace a person’s mother and during the past ninety plus days, little Dilbireen and his folks missed each other. And after weeks of worry about getting into America, due to financial reasons and Trumps travel ban, it finally happened for the couple last week.
https://twitter.com/HeraionGlobal/status/834802982671761408
They were reunited with their son.
Dilbireen's from Iraq badly burned finally back with his parents ❤️that is a prayer answered 🙏Thank God
— Flamingo Pink (@FlamingoPink3) February 23, 2017
Obviously, the moving and epic reunion between the young boy, his parents and new brother did not leave a dry eye in the house. Dilbireen’s father explained via translator after the emotional reunion, that he’s so grateful their family is together again.
Saying, “Thank God we’re all together again, it is really hard to stay away from your child when they are healthy, let alone (ours) was burned and he was here all alone.” A sentiment so many parents can relate too. And so now,”I want to thank everyone involved in this, to help us come here to do his surgeries.”
Together at last… pic.twitter.com/bhnOqKMqT0
— Sally Becker (@sallybecker121) February 21, 2017
Don’t worry Dilbireen is doing great and has had much success in his surgeries at a children’s hospital. However, his road to recovery is long. Over the next year he will have to undergo multiple surgeries including one for his eyes and nose.
After that, his family plans to move back to Iraq.
(H/T: CNN)
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