As an educator, it’s never easy to hear about my students’ struggles, but this one is exceptionally difficult.

During the MLK holiday break, one of my student’s fathers was in a horrific car accident. Sara relayed to me that her dad was in a car crash.

On Friday, January 13th, around 6:45 pm, Waleed Ibrahim and one of his three daughters were in a car accident at Fort Mill-SC close to their rented townhouse apartment. Waleed was unconscious and was rushed by a paramedic to Piedmont Hospital- Rock Hill. He had fractured almost all the left side of his body from the shoulder down to the bottom of his back. His case was more than what the hospital was equipped to handle, and they had to fly him to the Atrium Hospital in Charlotte by helicopter. He stayed in the ICU for almost a week. During that stay, he had to undergo surgery on his back. His situation is stable now, and he was dismissed from the ICU on Thursday night. Since then, his wife has been sitting by his side at the hospital while he fights for his life, the daughter that was with him in the crash made it out of the accident with minor injuries and trauma from what she saw on the accident day.

Waleed is the primary financial provider for his family. He works at a tire factory. So far, the family has no idea when he will be discharged from the hospital (they keep asking the hospital staff with no answer yet). The doctors in charge don’t expect him to go back and live his life normally before a year.

Waleed has 3 daughters (one junior at high school, one at the middle school and the eldest is a sophomore at Winthrop). The eldest “Sara” is working 3 part-time jobs trying to help her family and at the same time attending college. Sara is the only one driving in the family and her days are going between her mom and dad at the hospital (around an hour drive from where they live), work, classes and taking care of her two sisters. Sara is doing all she can to help her family with no other relative around to help. It is so difficult to see her trying hard to keep going when all she can think about is her father and the pain her family is going through.

I went to visit the Ibrahim family at the hospital, and their despair is heartbreaking and is one of many reasons I’m reaching out for help.

Sara’s mom (Waleed wife) doesn’t work, drive, or speak good English. Sara told me “I went through a lot in life, but this has undoubtedly been the hardest time of her family’s life. I hate asking for help but as I looked around at my family’s pain, I can’t think of any other route to make it through this tough time”. Sara doesn’t know what else to do besides all that she’s doing, she doesn’t know where to turn, and she doesn’t know who to ask. No one is obligated but I feel the need to help my student and her family. Anything, absolutely anything will help, and any help is greatly appreciated.

This fundraiser is to help this immigrant family afford their monthly space rental, bills, gas, and food. It’s my only hope that it'll be enough to keep them stable and on their feet through this difficult time. Anything left over will go directly into their dad’s medical expenses (as you know these medical bills, whenever he gets out, will be VERY expensive).

Again, anything is appreciated, even just shares, anything helps. Thank you.

Waleed family is the main beneficiary of this fundraising and the money will go directly to his account.

P.S: Ibrahim's family gave me permission to share.