Rami Kaaki
October 4, 1984… In a war torn Lebanon, Rami was born. His first cry echoed with the sounds of bombs and cannon fire across Beirut.
Yet, despite all odds, his childhood was a happy one. Being the youngest of his siblings he was showered with so much love. He grew up to become a strong willed, brave young man who was most famous for his kindness and fine heart.
Rami majored in Economics, but soon dropped out of university to pursue his passion and professionally enlist with the Lebanese Civil Defense Fire Department.
His ambition, courage, loyalty and commitment mobilized his superiors to offer him a position within the fire brigade's command office. Rami refused, he was meant to be a firefighter: extinguishing fires, saving lives, and preserving mother nature. Little did he know, he would die doing the thing he loved the most.
Despite a high risk tough occupation, Rami was one of the kindest people you would ever meet. He was a great husband and a role model father for his five years old little girl. His wife was expecting their second child at the time of the explosion.
He had so much to look forward to, but death knocked his door too soon. Rami lost his life two months short of his 36th birthday. He could not hug his mother, smile at his wife or play with his daughter one last time. He could not meet his second child.
August 4, 2020- On that fateful day Rami was not on firefighting duty. He volunteered to replace his colleague on the deadly mission –saving his life-. The explosion, that happened shortly after his arrival on site, took his life and that of many others who had a lot to live for.
Days after the August 4th explosion, Rami was yet to be found. His mother's pain was unbearable. She clung to an impossible hope. She trusted her son, she loved him, she was proud of him –wasn’t that enough for him to survive? He could have found shelter under some roof. Days passed and that little hope began to faint. What were they looking for? A body? His remains? What if the blast threw him off in the sea?
The wait was agonizing.
On the seventh day Rami's body was found under the port ruins.
He was gone.
Did he know it was coming? Did he feel it?
If he could still be here, what would he say?
What he couldn’t say is deafening, and it's on all of us.