Life was not easy for Joe… He lost both his parents before they could see him as a groom, he was far from his brother and sister who lived abroad, and he ended up dying for Lebanon in a most horrific explosion…

Joe was the youngest child of Francis and Malak Haddad. He grew up in Roum with his brother Henri and his sister Zeina. He was a bright, witty, and lovable little boy. He was also very funny and entertaining. He attended school in Jezzine, close to his home.

When the government announced it was recruiting young people to join the General Security Force, he was fast to enlist. He joined the force on September 4, 2006, as a cadet and was finally promoted to Chief Inspector in 2018. He rotated in different departments, and ended up at the Port of Beirut. He was commended multiple times by the General Director of the General Directorate of General Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim.

After his father’s passing five years ago, Joe lived alone with his mother, his brother immigrated to New Zealand, and from there to the United Arab Emirates, and his sister traveled to start a life in Australia. Joe was happy to take care of his mother and provide for her, but life was too cruel, and she died from a gastrointestinal hemorrhage, two months before the explosion.

He missed his mother and couldn’t bear life without her, thus, he planned to leave to New Zealand three years later when he would be discharged from the military force… He wanted to start a family, but did not meet the right person yet.

On Tuesday August 4, 2020, Joe was on duty at the Port of Beirut. At 6:00 PM he lay down to rest, as he was working overnight. There were two other soldiers with him, one of them went fishing, and the other one asked him to come with him to pick up some food, but he refused; it was unlike him.

When the explosion rocked all of Beirut, his family worried for his fate. They called him again and again, but he never answered. One of the soldiers directed rescuers on his whereabouts. They found him, trapped under a wall, he already passed away under the rubble. His dead body was evacuated to Al-Zahraa Hospital. In his obituary notice from the general directorate of general security, he was commended for his great service, and was promoted to Chief Inspector First Class.

Joe died and joined his mother in heaven. His brother Henri returned home to bid him farewell, and built him a tribute in his name in their village, so he could be forever remembered.