CLEVELAND — In an exclusive story you’ll only see on News 5, a 14-year-old girl from Gaza comes to Cleveland for medical treatment.
“She was injured in a bombing of her home and she’s from a refugee camp in Gaza,” said Heal Palestine Executive Director and Co-Founder, Steve Sosebee.
The family told News 5 they are overwhelmed after seeing their loved one for the first time.
“It means a lot because all the hospitals in Gaza have been bombed. There’s nothing left, so we need to take care of her,” said Khalil Madhoun, Tala’s uncle.
14-year-old Tala made her way down an escalator at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on Monday where more than a dozen people greeted her with Palestinian flags, signs and warm hugs.
“I really thank everybody for coming and for showing support,” said Madhoun.
Because these are Tala’s first moments in the United States, and she doesn’t speak English, her uncle, Khalil Madhoun, spoke for her.
“It’s not easy, but at the same time we have to be strong about it,” said Madhoun.
The 14-year-old’s journey to Cleveland comes after her home in Gaza was bombed, leaving her without an eye.
But there is hope Tala will be healed, once she receives medical care from Cleveland Clinic, which is a similar situation her uncle says he experienced.
“I came here in 1994 with a gunshot wound,” said Madhoun.
Madhoun says this unfortunate event forever changed his life. He says he could not have overcome it without support from people like Steve Sosebee.
“One of the first injured persons that I brought to this country was her uncle Khalil. He suffered a gunshot injury in his forehead,” said Sosebee.
Now more than 30 years later, Tala is also here, thanks to the work of ‘Heal Palestine’, a non-profit organization that arranges this care and also works through the logistics of flying kids overseas and getting their visas.
“For us as an organization trying to help these kids, finally getting kids to this country so they can get the medical treatment care they need and deserve, gives you a feeling of hope,” said Sosebee.
As Tala waits for the next steps in treatment, her uncle says he’s hopeful more people in Gaza will receive this same opportunity.
“There’s a lot of people like Tala,” said Madhoun. “Tala’s going to have me here, someone of support, and hopefully other people will get some support too.”
If you would like to help the organization bring more kids to the United States, click here.
