CRIS 30th Anniversary Story | Hasan
"I hope my kids never face the hardship that I have."
Hasan and his wife Thanaa have five children. Their oldest three were just toddlers when the Syrian Revolution erupted in 2011. As violence spread and the conflict escalated, the young family was forced to flee—moving from city to city across Syria, searching in vain for safety and stability. Eventually, like millions of others, they made the heartbreaking decision to leave their beloved home country.
They fled to neighboring Lebanon, registered as refugees, and began building a life out of whatever scraps they could. Their home was a tent—no running water, no electricity, just a space where they could be together. They welcomed their fourth son there, and Hasan learned new trades to support his family as best he could under the circumstances.
In 2018, they welcomed their fifth child. Just a few months later, Hasan was working on a rooftop when he fell. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a severe spinal cord injury: broken fourth and fifth vertebrae. Surgery could potentially restore some mobility, but it would cost $20,000. Hasan had only $100.
Unable to pay, he was left in limbo—immobile, in pain, and without options. A friend contacted a regional news outlet to share his story, and within a week, enough donations poured in to fund the surgery. But the delay had taken a toll. Though the procedure was completed, doctors told him the chances of full recovery were much lower. Too much time had passed.
Months later, Hasan returned home to their family tent—now confined to a wheelchair, unable to care for himself, and in need of constant support. With his injury, the family lost not only their primary provider but their sense of possibility. Resources were beyond scarce. Food. Water. Hope. All fragile. Hasan received no physical therapy, no follow-up care. And for the next five years, their life remained stuck in survival mode.
Then, in 2024, they received what felt like a miracle: approval for resettlement in the United States.
After months of interviews, paperwork, screenings, and anticipation, the family arrived in Columbus in October 2024. CRIS staff and a Welcome Team greeted them at the airport with a warm meal and open arms. In those first days, the Welcome Team helped them move into their new apartment and begin rebuilding their lives. They supported the family with school enrollment, transportation, medical appointments, and more.
Today, Hasan’s children are thriving. The younger ones just completed their first school year in the U.S. and are learning English. The oldest daughter recently started her first job. Hasan is receiving daily therapy, and his doctors are hopeful—he may yet regain more mobility with time and care.
“I am so happy to be here and for my family to be here,” Hasan says. “I hope one day to be able to care for my family again.”
This video does not offer closed captions or subtitles in English, but it offers a glimpse of Hasan and his family’s living conditions for the many years they spent in Lebanon.