Yolla El Helo

The Beirut blast changed the life of Yolla El-Helou who worked in real estate. It changed it forever.
On August 4, 2020, she went back home in Achrafieh after a long tiring day when she noticed a fire at the port of Beirut. She rushed inside to watch the news, and as soon as she reached her living room, she heard a sharp noise, which she first thought was an earthquake, but the impact of the blast pushed her to the ground, and she injured her leg.

Yolla called for help until a family member came to her rescue and evacuated her to St. Louis Hospital in Jounieh. What she saw on her way to the hospital was horrific; dead bodies, injured people, and too much destruction left her in utter pain.

When she reached the hospital, it was already on full capacity. She had her leg bandaged for two days until her surgery was scheduled.
After the operation, Yolla’s leg was never the same, she couldn’t properly walk due to torn ligaments, and she needed physical therapy. Yet, and despite her suffering, Yolla accepts her fate and repeats: “I want to forget about my leg condition, I want to forget what happened to me, and I don’t want to pursue treatment.”

Yolla stopped working and she barely leaves her house. She refuses to talk about that fateful afternoon that caused her a lot of emotional stress as she goes through endless cycles of pain and internal conflict. She wishes August 4 never happened.

Yolla calls for justice and a transparent investigation; she insists on the detention of those guilty of the Beirut blast. She only wishes to see them prosecuted and punished for their crimes.