As millions of American parents rush off to work, kissing their kids rushing to school, their main objective may be what to make for dinner or preparing for the onslaught of homework. Yet, for many Syrian families, their main objective is to find a safe haven, a place without the threat of ISIS. One man who witnessed the tragic drowning death of his family, Abdullah Kurdi, talked to the media about his family’s journey to escape and the final heartbreak.
Around social media a photo has been making waves and breaking the hearts of millions. A Syrian toddler is seen lying face-down on sand, washed ashore after spilling from a boat to his death.
The toddler has been identified as Kurdi’s 3-year-old son, Aylan. Sadly, not only did Aylan die, but Kurdi’s 5-year-old son, Galip, and his wife also perished in the waters. The family endured living in regions dominated by ISIS. They recently relocated to Syria’s capital, Damascus where Kurdi picked up work as a barber. The family joined 15 others on a boat headed to Kos, a Greek island. The 16-foot boat was overloaded and battled against harsh waves.
As the waves dominated the boat, the boat’s owner, a Turkish smuggler, abandoned it. He and a second boat owner were paid up to $6,000 or more per family to board the vessels, both boats flipped. Kurdi immediately took over the wheel to keep the first boat righted, but it could not defend against the vicious waves. Soon it overturned and the passengers were in the water. Out of 16 people, only nine survived. The bodies of 12 from both boats, including five children have been recovered.
Once he hit the water, Kurdi raced to find his family. For a while he held his two, beautiful children and his wife, but they were already dead. The waves yanked him away from his family, and after three hours he was rescued by the Greek coastguard. Kurdi intends to return to Syria to bury his family. A Turkish officer located the body of little Aylan on the beach and carried him away from onlookers.
The family’s intended destination was Canada, where Kurdi has a sister. She reportedly said she has been trying to bring the family to her, but encountered issues with helping them escape the violent region. The sister told the Ottawa Citizen her brother filed a refugee application, although the Canadian government states they could not locate one.
Kurdi left Syria for a better life for his family. The Turkish government is denying all exit visas, and the United Nations refuses to label many Syrians as refugees. In this catch 22 of politics, Kurdi has to travel back to the nation he tried to escape to bury his two young sons and wife.