PORTLAND, Ore. -- A little boy injured in the Iraq War in 2004 touched the hearts of Oregonians when he made it to Portland for life-saving medical treatment in 2008.
Mustafa Abed was treated at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. He was fit with a custom-made prosthetic limb. He worked hard and learned how to use his new leg, giving him renewed hope of being able to live out his dream.
Watch: 2008 story on Mustafa Abed
But after a tough 10 years in his war-torn home country, Mustafa has come back to Portland for more much-needed medical care. Mustafa, now 15, arrived at Portland International Airport with his mother Nidhal early Tuesday morning.
Supporters in Portland had lost contact with the family after their return to Iraq. But Ned Rosch of the group No More Victims spotted Mustafa in a PBS NewsHour story in 2016. He was living in a refugee camp.
Watching the report, Rosch realized the dream of a better life for Mustafa wasn’t to be.
“This was absolutely shocking. This was someone we had fallen in love with. This is someone who entered our hearts,” Rosch said.
Since then, supporters have been working to bring him back to Portland.
“What we hope to do is meet his immediate medical needs. And there are many," Rosch said. "He needs colostomy bags because of the severe internal injuries he received."
When they arrived Tuesday night, Nidhal said she and Mustafa could hardly believe they were back in Portland. And many of the people who were part of Mustafa's recovery 10 years ago were there at the airport for an emotional reunion.
Now another chapter begins as Mustafa will spend several months receiving the medical care he could not find in Iraq. KGW will continue to follow his journey.