Youssif (burn victim)
Encyclopedia
Youssif is an 8-year-old Iraq
i boy who was set on fire by unknown masked men outside of his central Baghdad
home on January 15, 2007.
home, Youssif was approached by masked men who proceeded to pour gasoline
on him, set him on fire, and flee, leaving then-5-year-old Youssif to burn. After the attack, Youssif's father spent nine months trying to obtain medical care in Iraq
to treat his son's scarring, without success. Doctors
in Iraq told the family that there was little they could do to help and that the family's only option was to seek treatment outside Iraq, an option they simply could not afford.
Eventually, after being told they could help, Youssif's father visited CNN
's Baghdad
bureau
to ask for advice on how to help his son. In doing so, Youssif's parents risked their safety. When asked by CNN
why they took such a risk, Youssif's mother, Zainab, responded: "I'd prefer death than seeing my son like this."
In August 2007, CNN's Arwa Damon
reported on Youssif's story on CNN
and CNN.com, which resulted in an international outpouring of support for the boy, with thousands across the world expressing willingness to donate to help him and his family. The story went on to become one of the most-read, non-breaking news stories in CNN.com's 12-year history.
No arrests have ever been made in connection with the attack.
-based Children's Burn Foundation
arranged for and agreed to pay for transportation, medical, and housing
costs for Youssif and his family. Dr. Peter Grossman, of the Sherman Oaks Grossman Burn Center, volunteered to perform the necessary surgeries for free. Since a fund was established by CNN and the Children's Burn Foundation, over $300,000 has been donated. When Youssif's father received the news in Baghdad
, he told CNN's Arwa Damon, "I feel like I am going to fly from happiness." Youssif was also cheered by the news, excitedly running around his house saying, "Daddy, daddy, am I really going to get on a plane?!"
Youssif, his father, mother, and baby sister arrived in the United States
on September 11, 2007. Youssif's first surgery
was performed on Thursday, September 20, 2007.
Youssif's second surgery resulted in some short-term complications. Just hours after Youssif's family began celebrating a successful surgery
, they found his bedsheets soaked in blood
. Dr. Grossman and his team immediately returned to the operating room and found that the source of the bleeding was an arterial blood vessel
, which was brought under control in just thirty minutes. Youssif, however, was rushed back to the operating room for the third time in twenty-four hours due to further bleeding, this time from an arterial blood vessel on the other side of his face. Dr. Grossman had to re-open Youssif's stitches—around 60 to 100 of them—to locate the source of the bleeding, a process that lasted almost two hours. By the next day, Youssif's recovery
was back on track. Youssif's father described his fear when he discovered Youssif covered in blood, telling CNN, "I said to myself, 'This is it. I'm going to lose my son.'"
The long-term effects of the surgery
were highly successful. Two days after the surgery, Youssif expressed happiness
at his progress, proudly announcing "Look, Daddy, my mouth is open! I can fit the whole fork into it and I can take big bites!" he said. On the day he was dispatched from hospital, he said, "I can see all my teeth! I can stick my tongue out all the way!" he said to his dad while waiting to leave the hospital. Dr. Grossman expressed sympathy for Youssif's parents, saying, "I wish I could have avoided them [his parents] going through an emotional roller-coaster."
Youssif began attending an American school
January 2008. He happily pulls off his plastic face mask and pats his cheeks, which were once covered by horrific burns. "No hurt," the 5-year-old Iraqi boy says in English on February 26, 2008.
Before his attack, Youssif told his parents he wished to become a doctor. Youssif told CNN's Sanjay Gupta
that he continues to hold this dream on the August 14, 2010 special edition of Sanjay Gupta MD. When asked why he wanted to be a doctor, Youssif responded, "to help people". Youssif's parents continue to support his dream, telling CNN, "We want our son to go places that we couldn't even dream of."
Youssif's stay in California and his progress throughout his surgeries is being chronicled on a regular basis by CNN.com. There is also a Facebook page that is dedicated to him entitled "Youssef's Fund" which was put together by Eman Eshmawy and Justin Surmast.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i boy who was set on fire by unknown masked men outside of his central Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
home on January 15, 2007.
Background
On January 15, 2007, while playing outside his BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
home, Youssif was approached by masked men who proceeded to pour gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
on him, set him on fire, and flee, leaving then-5-year-old Youssif to burn. After the attack, Youssif's father spent nine months trying to obtain medical care in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to treat his son's scarring, without success. Doctors
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in Iraq told the family that there was little they could do to help and that the family's only option was to seek treatment outside Iraq, an option they simply could not afford.
Eventually, after being told they could help, Youssif's father visited CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
bureau
News bureau
A News bureau is an office for gathering or distributing news. Similar terms are used for specialized bureaus, often to indicate geographic location or scope of coverage: a ‘Tokyo bureau’ refers to a given news operation's office in Tokyo; foreign bureau is a generic term for a news office set up...
to ask for advice on how to help his son. In doing so, Youssif's parents risked their safety. When asked by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
why they took such a risk, Youssif's mother, Zainab, responded: "I'd prefer death than seeing my son like this."
In August 2007, CNN's Arwa Damon
Arwa Damon
Arwa Damon is a video correspondent for CNN International and CNN based in Beirut. Damon joined CNN in February 2006. For the three years previous, she covered the Middle East as a freelance producer working with CNN, PBS, Fox News and others...
reported on Youssif's story on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and CNN.com, which resulted in an international outpouring of support for the boy, with thousands across the world expressing willingness to donate to help him and his family. The story went on to become one of the most-read, non-breaking news stories in CNN.com's 12-year history.
No arrests have ever been made in connection with the attack.
Treatment
The CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based Children's Burn Foundation
Children's Burn Foundation
The Children’s Burn Foundation is an American non-profit organization founded in 1985 to meet the physical, psychological and financial needs of children who have been severely burned. Located in Sherman Oaks, California, they were founded by Dr. A. Richard Grossman and McLean Stevenson...
arranged for and agreed to pay for transportation, medical, and housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
costs for Youssif and his family. Dr. Peter Grossman, of the Sherman Oaks Grossman Burn Center, volunteered to perform the necessary surgeries for free. Since a fund was established by CNN and the Children's Burn Foundation, over $300,000 has been donated. When Youssif's father received the news in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, he told CNN's Arwa Damon, "I feel like I am going to fly from happiness." Youssif was also cheered by the news, excitedly running around his house saying, "Daddy, daddy, am I really going to get on a plane?!"
Youssif, his father, mother, and baby sister arrived in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on September 11, 2007. Youssif's first surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
was performed on Thursday, September 20, 2007.
Progress and Recovery
Since 2007, Youssif has undergone fifteen surgeries. Youssif's biggest scar was removed in his second surgery on November 29, 2007. Just before the operation, Youssif became struck with panic, crying "I can't do this. I can't do this." The surgery, however, was pronounced a success by Dr. Grossman and his team.Youssif's second surgery resulted in some short-term complications. Just hours after Youssif's family began celebrating a successful surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, they found his bedsheets soaked in blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
. Dr. Grossman and his team immediately returned to the operating room and found that the source of the bleeding was an arterial blood vessel
Blood vessel
The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...
, which was brought under control in just thirty minutes. Youssif, however, was rushed back to the operating room for the third time in twenty-four hours due to further bleeding, this time from an arterial blood vessel on the other side of his face. Dr. Grossman had to re-open Youssif's stitches—around 60 to 100 of them—to locate the source of the bleeding, a process that lasted almost two hours. By the next day, Youssif's recovery
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
was back on track. Youssif's father described his fear when he discovered Youssif covered in blood, telling CNN, "I said to myself, 'This is it. I'm going to lose my son.'"
The long-term effects of the surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
were highly successful. Two days after the surgery, Youssif expressed happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
at his progress, proudly announcing "Look, Daddy, my mouth is open! I can fit the whole fork into it and I can take big bites!" he said. On the day he was dispatched from hospital, he said, "I can see all my teeth! I can stick my tongue out all the way!" he said to his dad while waiting to leave the hospital. Dr. Grossman expressed sympathy for Youssif's parents, saying, "I wish I could have avoided them [his parents] going through an emotional roller-coaster."
Youssif began attending an American school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
January 2008. He happily pulls off his plastic face mask and pats his cheeks, which were once covered by horrific burns. "No hurt," the 5-year-old Iraqi boy says in English on February 26, 2008.
Before his attack, Youssif told his parents he wished to become a doctor. Youssif told CNN's Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia....
that he continues to hold this dream on the August 14, 2010 special edition of Sanjay Gupta MD. When asked why he wanted to be a doctor, Youssif responded, "to help people". Youssif's parents continue to support his dream, telling CNN, "We want our son to go places that we couldn't even dream of."
Youssif's stay in California and his progress throughout his surgeries is being chronicled on a regular basis by CNN.com. There is also a Facebook page that is dedicated to him entitled "Youssef's Fund" which was put together by Eman Eshmawy and Justin Surmast.