At just 17 years old, Motassembelah “Motassem” Abuzayed was a high school junior in Gaza, passionate about soccer, enjoying barbecues with friends, and dreaming of a future as a businessman. His life took a devastating turn when an airstrike in his neighborhood severely injured him, making him one of over 25,000 children injured during the ongoing war, according to the United Nations.

Motassem lost most of his left arm in the attack, while his right ring finger was fully amputated, and his middle finger partially amputated, requiring extensive reconstructive efforts. After months of treatment between Gaza and Egypt, PCRF facilitated his medical evacuation to the United States, where he could receive the specialized care he urgently needed.

“Everything changed. I had no hope that I would get treatment,” he told ABC News in Arabic. “When I came to America … a future opened for me. I had hope.”

 ➤ Read the full story on ABC News

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