Zeina Chamoun
Everyone at Electricité du Liban is heartbroken for the loss of their coworker Zeina Chamoun El-Hajj who was killed in the August 4 explosion, two months before her 58th birthday. She was a lovely woman who always had something nice to say…
She was born in Deir el Kamar, but lived in Mar Mikhael in Beirut, a few meters away from "Electricité du Liban". After her marriage, she stayed in the same family house, and her parents moved to Jbeil.
Zeina lived a beautiful love story with Salim El-Hajj, a political party activist. Her parents refused their relationship, as they were not comfortable with political affiliations. She insisted on marrying him, and decided to elope with him as a last resort.
Her life after marriage was no easy ride. Salim's early death broke her. She was alone raising her children. However, her will and determination were stronger than all the challenges she faced. She was proud of her children; she did a good job.
Zeina was, according to her daughter, a very religious person. She held God in her heart and let him guide her every step of the way. A few days before she died, she dreamed of the Virgin Mary who was holding her hand and taking her away.
Her daughter Nadine can't get the events of August 4 out of her head. She lived with her mom in the same house, and worked with her at the same company. On that Tuesday, Zeina received a call from her son who lives outside Beirut with his family; he invited her to spend the evening and asked her to come early. Zeina liked the idea, but Nadine suggested they postpone the visit, she wanted to go to the gym.
At the moment of the explosion, Nadine was still at the gym. She lost her balance and focus for a second before she could realize what just happened. She rushed to the house; what she saw was indescribable: their street was not the same. She walked amid the destruction until she got home. She looked for her mother and found her trapped in the rubble, covered with blood. She took her to the hospital, but it was too late.
Today, Nadine lives alone. She still cannot fathom the separation… Her mom was her home, she was her world…