Ali Ismail Abbas
Ali Ismail Abbas | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991 Iraq |
| Occupation(s) | Survivor, activist |
| Known for | Surviving missile strike during 2003 US invasion of Iraq; raising awareness for amputees |
Ali Ismail Abbas (born 1991) is an Iraqi individual who became widely known after sustaining severe injuries during a nighttime missile strike near Baghdad amid the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq.
Injury
His family residence was hit by two American missiles, resulting in the deaths of his parents (his mother was expecting a child), his brother, and 13 other relatives. At the age of 12, Ali lost both arms and endured third-degree burns over 35% of his body. He underwent medical care first in Kuwait and subsequently in London, where the Kuwaiti government provided funding for robotic prosthetic limbs. Although he eventually ceased using these prosthetics due to their heaviness and difficulty to manage, he wore artificial arms while attending school to minimize unwanted attention. He was enrolled at the Hall School Wimbledon.
Citizenship
On January 1, 2010, Ali Abbas was issued a British passport. Despite receiving offers of citizenship from Canada and the United States, he declined these options because they did not permit his friend to join him.
Publicity
Jane Warren authored The Ali Abbas Story, which was published by HarperCollins in 2004. Ali appeared on 60 Minutes on May 13, 2007, and was also featured in the September 2011 issue of Time magazine.
Limbless Association
The Limbless Association (LA) established a fund dedicated to aiding amputees affected by the Iraq war. LA Chairman Zafar Khan met Ahmad Hamza, a 14-year-old Iraqi amputee, and committed to supporting both boys through the Ali Fund. Until reaching adulthood at 18 years old, the association acted as their legal guardian.
The Baghdad Bikers
Ali and his companions organize an annual awareness-raising cycling event known as the Baghdad Bikers.