Badly burned Iraqi child reunited with family in Boston after travel ban
BOSTON -- Separated by pain and politics and reunited by love and determination, a Yazidi family is full of smiles now that their 2-year-old badly burned son, Dilbireen Muhsin, is back in their arms, CBS Boston reports.
“This is the happiest moment of my life,” said Dilbireen’s mother, Flousa Mushin. “I feel complete.”
Dilbireen is in need of surgery to save his vision after he was hurt when a heater exploded in the Iraqi refugee camp where he was staying with his family after fleeing ISIS.
“The most important surgery is on his right eye, which can’t close right now,” said the boy’s father, Ajeel Mushin. “The longer we wait, the more irreversible damage, and he could go blind.”
But that surgery had to be postponed, because Dilbireen’s parents were kept out of the United States because of President Donald Trump’s executive order. The surgery could not go forward without them present; they were scheduled to visit, but when the travel ban was implemented, their visas were revoked.
“It was the toughest thing in our life,” his Ajeel said.
U.K.-based humanitarian aid group Road to Peace rushed Dilbireen to Boston last year. For the group’s founder, Sally Becker, this reunion is overwhelming, but she says the family still needs a lot of support.
“Shriners [Hospital is] treating them free of charge, but we are responsible for transport and accommodations,” said Becker. “So if people want to help, donate to Road To Peace.”
The family says Dilbireen will need to have ongoing care and surgery at the hospital for at least a year.
They say as hard as this ordeal has been, they are forever grateful to everyone who has helped care for their son.
“It’s the happiest day of my life that my family so my baby can have his surgery and heal,” Flousa said.
