George Semaan

On August 4, 2020. George wanted to pay a quick visit to his parents in Dora, before heading to work. As he went into the grocery store to buy a few items, the shop’s owner greeted him and told him: “I hear the sound of an airplane.” They went outside together to see what was happening and they saw a light in the sky. They immediately headed inside to protect themselves from a potential missile attack. However, a huge explosion happened before they could find shelter, and the store’s front door was pushed off its place hitting George in the face.

George recalls the events of that fateful day: “The door hit me in the face, broke my teeth, and knocked me onto a metal chair that broke my back. I washed my blood-covered face, and I tried to help myself the best way I could. I used a cardboard to hold in place what was left of my teeth, and I went home to check on my family. My wife took me to the hospital to see a doctor; he told me I needed a Tetanus shot and a few X-Rays, and he would see me again the next day.”

The next morning, George returned to the hospital in a critical condition due to a severe back pain and multiple broken bones. He continues: “no one tried to help me with my surgeries, even though I had 17 teeth extracted and a debridement surgery. I went from one doctor to another until someone helped me with my disc surgery. At the time, I was unable to walk except with the help of a walker. My treatment journey was extensively exhausting.”