Everyone in the Hamoudi family lost at least one leg in the stampedes after the earthquake in Turkey.
They say there’s only one way to get ahead: humor.
– We joke that we are like pirates with wooden legs, laughs father Mamoun.
8-year-old Mohammed quickly makes his way across the floor using his arms. He gets a bag of Legos and quickly starts building to show off his latest invention. A house that rocks.
– I want to invent houses that are safe against earthquakes and volcanoes, he says.
His parents Mamoun and Rim smile proudly.
All three were trapped under the rubble as they tried to escape the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6. They were trapped for four days. The two adults understood that they would lose their legs, if they survived at all.
– The worst thing was not being able to reach my son and help him when he was thirsty or frozen, says mother Rim Hamoudi slowly, as if the words hurt.
Need help with most things
Finally, they were found by a Japanese rescue team and flown urgently by helicopter to various hospitals. Father Mamoun lost both legs, the son a leg and a foot and the mother a leg. They cannot live in the same house because they need help with most things and they have had to split up among relatives.
– Of course, it is not a long-term solution, everyone wants to help us, but they have their own problems to take care of. We would really like to be together, says Mamoun.
It has now been just over four months since the earthquake. On the Turkish side alone, over 50,000 died and more than 100,000 were injured. Nine million people were affected and many millions are still in need of humanitarian assistance. Many of those affected were Syrian refugees and they are worried about what will happen to them after the reconstruction.
– We do not know at all what is happening to us who need so much support. Can we even stay, says Rim.
The son’s big dreams
Despite an almost impregnable situation, the family jokes a lot. Several times during the interview there is laughter and giggles. Sometimes to tell something difficult, sometimes to encourage his son or just to think about something else.
– We joke that we are like pirates with wooden legs, laughs Mamoun.
But more important than the laughter are the new future goals. Before, they hoped to live and live in Turkey and run a business that exported vegetables. Now all the focus is on the son’s dream.
– I hope we can come to a country with special schools. My son dreams of becoming an inventor and I believe in him, as long as he gets the right conditions, says Rim.