Hassan Maneh

Hassan was born on July 15, 1996. He lived a happy childhood with two brothers and a sister, in the village of Matariyyah, in South Lebanon. As a child, he was innocent, polite, and the closest to his parents’ hearts. His mother recounts how easy he was as a kid and how happy he made her. He was very loved and had a lot of friends in neighboring villages. Hassan was a real community member; he was a scout in the Islamic Risala Scout Association, and a volunteer paramedic in the Risala Civil Defense Association. His life was just normal, and he built strong bonds with his family. Hassan was a responsible young man, and a great support to his loved ones.

He wanted to find a job to support his family, especially his father who lost his leg in the Israeli 1978 war on Lebanon. A year ago, with the help of one of his relatives, he was employed by INTRA Company, located near the Port of Beirut. His parents were relieved they can count on him to survive the current difficult living conditions, but the unthinkable happened.

His mother remembers the last day they spent together in South Lebanon. It was a Sunday, and he spent the day at the pool with his siblings and cousins. She recalls a weird feeling in her heart that day, Hassan was different, he was excessively happy, laughing, and playful. He just wasn’t his usual self.

On August 4, before the explosion, when the fire erupted, Hassan wanted to see what was happening. He went onsite, and as soon as the explosion happened, he was blown by it and hit his head to the floor, dying instantly.

When his parents heard the news about the explosion, they tried to call him but he never answered his phone. They kept looking for him in hospitals until they found him, around midnight, a dead body in Hotel Dieu Hospital. Hassan left this earth, leaving in the hearts of his loved ones a pain so unbearable it will last a lifetime.