Antoine Bassil

Antoine was born in Daraaoun, to Naja and Yvonne Bassil, he had a sister, Reine. He grew up in his birth town, in a religious god-fearing family. He specialized in mechanics in a nearby vocational institute.

Antoine married Amal Joseph Al-Hakim, and they had one child together, their son Roy. Antoine was a perfect husband, and more of a brother, or friend, to his son. He was also the chief support to his sister Reine. He was generous, dynamic, helpful, honest and always wearing a smile. Despite his old age, Antoine was fit and in good health.

On august 4, 2020, Antoine was with his wife in their home in Gemmayze. He asked her to make some coffee, and she obliged. Amal had just prepared their coffee, she was walking towards him when she heard a huge blast. In few seconds, their house was in ruins, everything was destroyed. When she came back to her senses, she heard her husband groaning in pain. She screamed for someone to help Antoine, forgetting her own fractures and bleeding. She called her son Roy who rushed to his parents' house and evacuated them to the American University of Beirut Medical Centre, after being denied treatment in nearby hospitals that were greatly affected by the explosion.

Antoine spent the next 26 days at the hospital, being treated from wounds caused by shards of glass that instilled in his body. He was being killed a little more every day, until he passed away.

87-year old Antoine was buried around the end of August 2020, in his hometown cemetery in Daraaoun.