Hanna Gerges Akabati

Hanna grew up in his birth town Saya in Tartus, in Syria. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and started working in the village's car wash. He worked different jobs before he arrived to Lebanon.

Hanna was a quiet, responsible young man. He saw his family's drastic economic and financial conditions, and decided to flee the country to help them improve their quality of life.

Hanna bid his family farewell, and left to Lebanon ten days before the explosion at the Port of Beirut. He worked aboard the M Rami ship anchored at the port’s harbor.

On august 4, Hanna woke up early, and was aboard the ship for the whole day. Two hours before the explosion, he called his family. They talked, unaware it was the final goodbye call.

When the first explosion happened, Hanna rushed to the ship's door trying to open it and run out, but he couldn’t. A few moments later the second explosion happened and the ship's door opened and hit him hard on the head. He died instantly.

His family heard the news about the explosion and tried to call him over and over again, to no avail. They called his friends but nobody knew anything. His parents were worried, anxious, and fearing the worst. They waited for any bit of news that would ease their growing anxiety, until his friends called up with very bad news, Hanna is dead.

The 20-year old passed away, leaving behind a father, a mother, and a sister mourning the devastating loss.