Michelle Malkin » A Gift of Life grant for Ammar

A Gift of Life grant for Ammar

By Michelle Malkin • April 11, 2008 09:19 AM

An inspiring story from Charleston, SC and Haditha, Iraq:

Five-year-old Ammar Muhammed fell asleep, curled on his father’s lap. The blue tint of his skin matched his tiny patient gown.

His father, Ammad Muhammed, carried his son all the way from Haditha, Iraq, for a lifesaving heart surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Ammar has Tetralogy of Fallot, a complex of four heart abnormalities that starves blood of oxygen, turning the boy’s skin blue. One of the most common congenital heart defects, the syndrome is treated surgically in U.S. children before their first birthday.

But health care is not the same in Iraq. To pay for the surgery, the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club secured a Gift of Life grant from Rotary International. The cost of the surgery varies widely depending on subsequent intensive care, an MUSC spokeswoman said. Getting father and son to Charleston for the upcoming surgery Monday was the work of the Marines, who raised money in Iraq to pay for the airfare.

A lieutenant in the Iraqi police force, Muhammed worked side by side with the Marines and found a friend in Maj. Kevin Jarrard. Jarrard, a 1995 Citadel graduate, reached out to the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club for help after he learned of Muhammed’s son.

In January, Jarrard helped another Iraqi child, a 2-year-old girl, travel to the U.S. for heart surgery in Nashville, Tenn. With the help of translators from The Citadel, Muhammed said, “My job is to fight off people who try to kill Iraqi citizens.”

…Gift of Life is a Rotary-sponsored program that is dedicated to helping children with heart defects. The East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club helps three to four children a year, Peper said.

More about Gift of Life here.

Posted in: Iraq

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#1

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:21 am, meatpieandtatters said:

God is in all of us…if we look closely enough. In many, it manifests through acts of love and kindness under the most violent circumstance. Thank you for the message Michelle.
#2

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:22 am, ACHefty said:

John Murtha cannot be reached for comment.
#3

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:25 am, meatpieandtatters said:

Having lived and met my wife in Charleston it holds a special place in my heart. I knew several Citidel grads all of whom were gentlemen and projected the rare qualities of honor and service in the way they lived their lives.
#4

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:32 am, cpodug said:

Sorta puts the lie to the “baby Killer” mantra, doesn’t it?
#5

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:34 am, TexasTiger said:

Gift of Life is a Rotary-sponsored program that is dedicated to helping children with heart defects.

Beautiful story. And it was done without SCHIP!
#6

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:35 am, rooster said:

Waiting for Charlie Gibson to report this story………
#7

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:37 am, bloghooligan said:

that’s a great story!!
#8

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:40 am, Jaded said:

Well Michelle another Friday and another excellent heartwarming news story from you….doing the work the MSM would never do….thanks.
#9

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:42 am, Boomer said:

Well done Major Jarrard! You have to love the leadership displayed by the USMC to coordinate this heartwarming story. Thanks for reporting this good news story Michelle.
#10

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:44 am, ajmontana said:

Very cool that the Marines raised the money themselves but geez, ya think someone would have stepped up to cover that portion. Great job guys!
#11

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:57 am, NeoConNews said:

Just goes to show you what this all should really be about. God bless the Marines. Hoping the best for that family.
#12

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:58 am, emjem24 said:

Another heartwarming story that the MSM won’t report… or if they do will leave it in the back of their newspapers.

I wonder if the liberals consider this kid just more “collateral damage?”
#13

On April 11th, 2008 at 10:04 am, tre said:

I’ll bet Major Kevin Jarrard just collasped under the pressure, went into Ammad Muhammed’s house in the dark of night, took Ammar Muhammed in cold blood, and air-raided him to the USA for medical treatment.

I hearby demand that Major Kevin Jarrard be sent to Leavenworth IMMEDIATELY to be awarded a medal!
#14

On April 11th, 2008 at 10:06 am, DagneyT said:

Blackfive covered this story, or one like it a few months back. Two things struck me about this story, in addition to the obvious;

1) If only all our children could go to a “Citadel” for their schooling.

2) This could not have happened with a government-run medical system!!!
#15

On April 11th, 2008 at 10:18 am, WarTip said:

Waiting for code pink to thank the Marines in Berzerkly in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.75, 1.5, 1.25 …

Would somebody shut those crickets up please?!

I was in the Army but still, I find myself having to say “Thank You United States Marines!”
#16

On April 11th, 2008 at 10:41 am, Romeo13 said:

!Salute!

Well done.

And I might add, that this type of action, and spirit, is what will win the War in Iraq… not government handouts. Its the basic goodness of the American, and the willingness to help that will show some in Islamic nations that we are not the threat that their leaders tell them we are.
#17

On April 11th, 2008 at 11:12 am, Alphonse said:

On April 11th, 2008 at 9:32 am, cpodug said: Sorta puts the lie to the “baby Killer” mantra, doesn’t it?

The Defense Dept. doesn’t maintain statistics on civilian or baby deaths in Iraq. Bad for public relations.
#18

On April 11th, 2008 at 11:21 am, letget said:

My ‘proud to be an American’ day. Thank all our wonderful military. See, they do care about people and help whenever they can. I’m sure this won’t get into the msm, it is good news our military is doing, not bad news.
L
#19

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:01 pm, Chuck said:

It makes me so damned angry that the Lame Stream Media won’t headline banner this sort of action by our troops. It doesn’t advance the storyline about how they’re a bunch of low lifes and mental cases. OK then, just low lifes - how normal is it to put your life in danger for the country? Today, hardly. These are exceptional Americans, all of them.
#20

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:04 pm, Bicyea said:

3 Cheers for the Good Guys
#21

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:05 pm, feebiebabe said:

Great story Michelle. I’ll be praying for the little guy and fam…
#22

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pm, Christian Soldier said:

You’ve GOT to LOVE them all-Our military is the BEST!

Bay Area Brothers:

http://www.melaniemorgan.com/
#23

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:36 pm, BrianNY said:

#17 said:

The Defense Dept. doesn’t maintain statistics on civilian or baby deaths in Iraq. Bad for public relations.

Then where does Rosey O’Donnell, John Murtha and the other leftist loons get their civilian-death “statistics” from? You know, the 500,000 to 1,000,000 Iraqi civilian deaths at the hands of the US Military “statistics” that they often claim?

They most likely pull their “statistics” out of their (as Mookie would proudly say) “stern-side orifices.”
#24

On April 11th, 2008 at 12:39 pm, rightisright said:

Thank you for the wonderful, heartwarming story Michelle, getting the word out on how wonderful caring our Military are. Stories like this makes me more and more proud to be an American everyday of my life.
What a wonderful country, with so many wonderful unselfish heroes like these Marines.
#25

On April 12th, 2008 at 1:50 pm, HDFOB said:

What great man. I met Maj Jarrad briefly. He was the OIC for the Police Training Team (PTT). As tough as Military Training Teams (MTTs) are, PTTs are tougher by a factor of 10. Even by Iraqi standards, the Ministry of Interior can be exceptionally politicizied and incompetent with pay and logistics. Men like Maj Jarrad are turning that situation around through their force of will. When the retrospectives are written on this war, the PTTs should be up there with the warriors of Falluja Nov 04.

The irony of the connection to the Citadel should not be lost. Many American warriors have seen deaths in Haditha. Among the most horrific was that of Citadel graduate 2dLt Joshua Booth, whose attack may have been broadcast on CNN.

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2006/10/cnn-meet-marine-2nd-lt-joshua-booth.html

GOD BLESS ALL THOSE WHO NEVER GAVE UP ON THIS THING.

WERE GOING TO WIN THIS WAR IF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE JUST GIVE US THE CHANCE!!