In April, 13-year-old Khalil Abu Shaban was on his way to a barbershop in Rafah for a haircut.
That’s when the bombing started in Gaza’s southernmost city.
He lost both legs.
Khalil was evacuated to Egypt in May because of the severity of his injuries — he had a concussion and serious infections.
But as of Wednesday afternoon, he was recovering and on safe ground. Khalil, his sister and their mom arrived at O’Hare International Airport, where they were greeted by a crowd of supporters, shedding tears and holding signs, flowers and green, red, black and white balloons.
Khalil rolled out from U.S. Customs to cheers, chants of his name and rose petals. Overwhelmed by the support, the boy smiled, his eyes glassy.
“We are so lucky to be here and to have so many people help us to get here,” Khalil’s 22-year-old sister, Lolo Abu Shaban, told reporters.
Khalil “wants to thank all the people who came here to support him,” she added.
Originally from northern Gaza, the boy and his family had sought refuge in Rafah, when tragedy struck.
He is the third Palestinian child brought to Chicago from Gaza by the national nonprofit Heal Palestine. One of those children, 14-year-old Leyan, was at the airport to greet Khalil. Leyan is also a double amputee. She stood to greet Khalil on prosthetic legs that she received at Shriners Children’s Chicago hospital on the West Side.
Another young boy, 7-year-old Baraa Hadi Abu Alroos, was brought to Chicago by the nonprofit last month.
“We are quite proud and happy to take care of them,” Steve Sosabee, Heal Palestine’s director, told the Sun-Times. “We are so grateful for the strong community here in Chicago willing to care for these children. Hundreds of people are willing to help.”
Like the other two kids, Khalil and his family are staying with a host family in Chicago. Sirage Al-Tarifi and his family are taking in the three and were at the airport to greet them Wednesday.
Volunteering to host Khalil and his family was an easy decision, Al-Tarifi said.
“It’s the least we could do to help out these children of Palestine in any sort of way,” Al-Tarifi told the Sun-Times.
Randa Salem and her husband brought their three children from Naperville to welcome Khalil and his family.
“It was very hard to see, but it was also beautiful. Beautiful because of how grateful they are that he is alive and made it here,” Salem said. “It’s heartbreaking because they’ve gone through so much. But then here they are with smiles on their faces.”
Khalil has an appointment at Shriners on Friday to start the process of getting a pair of prosthetic legs. The hospital system has been a major partner with Heal Palestine as their clinicians specialize in treating severe burns and amputations, Sosabee said.
Heal Palestine has helped bring 17 injured children out of Gaza and get them treatment in the U.S. In addition to medical care, Sosabee said the nonprofit helps the children find mental health care and education and provides opportunities for them to feel safe and assimilate into their new communities.
Since the war between Israel and Hamas began last year, Gazan authorities estimate that more than 14,000 Palestinian children have died in the conflict, and thousands more have been injured.
