Iraqi street kid savors his new life

[Omaha Steve]

Published Saturday
June 3, 2006

Iraqi street kid savors his new life

BY DEREK KRAVITZ


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

For eight years, Johnny Hameed wandered central Baghdad, an orphan finding shelter where he could, in cars and spare rooms, and taking food from strangers.


Johnny Hameed's smile belies his past, but one hint is a scar from a fight in Baghdad, where insurgents once put his face on a wanted poster.

Hameed, now 18, spent most of his time on Haifa Street, a once-infamous insurgent stronghold, fighting with gangs. Back then he was called Abdullah, which means "servant of God."

He had been on his own since he was 8, when his parents died, and had been shot twice - once in his right leg, once in his left arm. Burn marks dotted his head and face. He saw friends killed, cars bombed and explosions rock his neighborhood.

But the worst reminders of Hameed's childhood are the long scars that mark each side of his face. Surgeries have softened the stab wounds, but they are daily reminders of where he came from.

Two weeks ago, Hameed graduated with honors from Girls and Boys Town. He will enroll at Metropolitan Community College in the fall and is mastering English one day at a time.

Full story: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2182247

[unhappycamper]

1. Golly, I feel good now about the 'collateral' damage,

[acmavm]

2. It's ALL good, haven't you heard.....

:sarcasm: me too!

[AusGail]

3. Whatever happened to Ali

Remember the little boy who lost both his arms when his whole family was bombed out of existence. More collateral damage