Abanoub AwadAllah Naem
Abanoub was in his last year of vocational training school and was hoping to join the Faculty of Engineering after taking the necessary exams, but his dream was never to be achieved his father said.
His father recalled the day Abanoub was killed: “I was in Shibin El Qanater to buy inventory for the fish shop. I dreaded going back home and as soon as I arrived at my street everyone was asking about my son. I was surprised and didn’t understand why they did were asking. When I got home no one was there neither my wife, my daughters nor my six-year-old son, Michael. I found out they went to the hospital to be beside Abanoub.
I rushed to Sayed Jalal Hospital where I found not only my family but many of Abanoub’s friends—both Muslims and Christians. ُThey were all standing by his door, urging doctors to save him. Since I was away, I did not know what happened to Abanoub. When I asked his friends they told me that police forces were shooting at demonstrators gathered in front of the police station. Dozens were wounded and others laid dead. Abanoub and other young people were present at the scene trying to help carry the wounded and dead to the hospital. Abanoub managed to rescue a neighbor named Sa’id and another person named Faisal, but when he tried to save a third person he was shot by a sniper in the head.
His father recalled the painful moment of seeing his son lying in the intensive care room: “I saw the bullet in my son’s head with my own eyes. The bullet entered through one side and went out from the other. Why do police do this? My son was not a criminal or a drug dealer. My son was just a student, a decent human…Egypt would be proud of him.”
His father continued, “I left the intensive care room knowing in my heart that my son would not leave his bed. That it was the end for him. I sat by his door until he was pronounced dead by the end of the day. I carried his body, took a taxi, and went home to prepare for his funeral. I buried with him and the joy of my life followed him into the grave. Abanoub was not only my son, but he was also my close friend—my whole life. I cannot describe my loss.”
Abanoub’s funeral was attended by many with many people speaking about how courageous he was in trying to help the wounded and dying during the clashes.