Shaheen succumbed to his wounds last Sunday. He was an amazing young man who I adopted as my Yazidi son in my heart and life.
I recently offered him the first step of the journey to get him out of Iraq … he turned it down knowing his work wasn’t done yet. I told him how proud of him I was seeing the transformation and growth into a man of God and warrior of valor for children. It is so fitting that he gave his life helping a young girl escape to freedom.
Meeting him in an IDP camp only six months after ISIS attacked and would change him and his Yazidi people’s lives forever, I saw such a hidden warrior’s heart beaten down by the harsh realities of ISIS having invaded his town of Sinjar.
In the midst of thousands in this IDP camp he made his way through the crowds surrounding me and with rough broken English knew I had come to help the Yazidi girls and children who had most been affected by being kidnapped by Daesh (ISIS). We slipped out to another part of the tent city and he brought me to a 14 year old girl who had been captive.
I saw his heart and courage to help others in spite of his own suffering. That is when I told him he would help me and be on team ATP. He was excited to have a mission and since then he quietly, often without any others knowing, worked on very confidential cases to help see girls and children and their families freed and then repeatedly put himself in harm’s way with Team FBR on the front lines as the best most faithful interpreter our teams ever had.
He lived his life with courage, facing his fears, and destroying his once early self-assessment that he was a “coward”.
One of the last photos I have was that of him holding a wounded Iraqi soldier. Soon after that he, himself, would be fatally wounded, being shot in the stomach under fire by ISIS as he risked everything to help a little 10 year old girl. They were moving her to a safer vehicle that could drive her and her dad to safety and for further medical help after she was shot in the face by ISIS.
I am touched to have received two emails from him just before he unexpectedly passed on Sunday and I’m thankful to know that he knew, without a doubt, had put his faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life. A couple of years ago he told me, “Please don’t forget me to bring me the Gospel!”
I loved that young poet warrior who was one of the most courageous men I have been honored to know.
Evil men will pay the price. We will continue to honor his courage as we continue to help and heal the hearts of the thousands that he loved and served.
See you in heaven Shaheen!
Victor Marx
