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Going Back to School, With an Artificial Limb

Abou Mouaz leads a life not unlike many of his neighbors. He and his family left their home in Deir Ezzor after it was destroyed in an aerial bombardment, struck by shelling from the Syrian government.

Written by Abdo al-Idelbi Published on Read time Approx. 2 minutes

It was a year ago that his eldest son, 11-year-old Mouaz, almost lost his life in another attack, which hit while he was returning home from school. Mouaz survived but suffered serious wounds that led to the amputation of his left leg, in addition to other injuries to his small body. Mouaz was transferred to the city of Mayadeen for treatment.

When we met Mouaz, we expected to see a weak, desperate child. But he seemed to be the exact opposite. Mouaz may have lost his leg, but he hasn’t lost hope. As he leaned on his crutches, a smile never left his face. He told Syria Deeply his story, on how he’s coping with the injury that changed his life.

I was a serious student who loves to learn and play like the rest of the kids in the city, and perhaps my love of learning is one of the causes of my injury. The shell fell during our return from school in the neighborhood of Sheikh Yassine. My siblings suffered minor injuries and I lost my leg.

My father was not with us in the city at the time. Our neighbors took me to the nearest field hospital, then I was transferred to Mayadeen for the leg amputation operation. When I got home I had difficulty moving around at the beginning and refused help from my mother and siblings. I didn’t like the feeling of helplessness. I was absent from school for three months until I healed and the doctors gave me an artificial leg.

When I finally returned to school, the students were looking at me with sympathy and pity. But that did not last long. They got used to seeing my fake leg. Some were even jokingly trying to imitate my walk to cheer me up. I was OK with it, I didn’t find it annoying.

The injury changed my dreams and goals. I started feeling the same way a lot of injured Syrian children feel who lost their dreams due to their disabilities. Before I dreamt of being an agricultural engineer. But now I want to become a doctor so that I can give joy to other injured children, to help them continue their lives without despair.

I spend my day like any child. I go to school and do my homework. The thing that changed most is my ability to play. I can still play games that have little movement, but I can no longer play like before.

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