Don protégé
Shannon Shaikh, Salon Manager at Nurtur Salon, has a four-year-old daughter Adalia. Adalia doesn’t currently have a favorite color (she loves them all). She does have a favorite food, which is cheese, and loves to dance and sing and make people happy. She’s curious about the world around her, as most 4-year-olds are. What she’s most curious about, however, is her dad, Ashfan, whom she has never met in person. They spend time through the phone and Adalia is well aware of her father’s presence in her life, but due to a very unique circumstance the two have never met face-to-face. This is incredibly heartbreaking as a family. We are raising money for Shannon and her daughter to visit India and unite their family for the very first time.
Let’s back up the story of how Shannon and her husband met. Shannon and Ashfan met in 2011 through mutual friends, and were engaged a year and a half later. Shortly after their engagement, Ashfan, whose family is from India and where he grew up, received news of his father’s declining health, and he had to rush off to help out. Shannon planned on joining him not long after to meet his family in person, this was very important to both of them. However, when Shannon arrived in India, unfortunately it was too late. Ashfan’s father had passed just days before she arrived in the country.
The grieving process in his family is sacred. During the time of mourning, participation in celebratory festivals and events is limited or restricted. Making life-altering decisions like changing jobs or moving is also discouraged. Shannon and Ashfan were, however, able to be married in India during this time surrounded by his family. His family gave their blessing despite their initial hesitation because they saw the love Shannon and Ashfan shared. “Looking back”, Shannon says “we should have gotten married in the United States, maybe it would have been easier. At the time, it was really exciting and it was important for his family to be there to celebrate our marriage.”
Shannon spent several blissful months in India and days before returning to America, she found out that she was pregnant- a happy surprise to everyone! At the time, they had no idea that it would be more than 5 years before they would see each other again. Shannon spent her entire pregnancy without Ashfan who was still in India and gave birth to Adalia with Ashfan there only via Skype. From Adalia’s first breath of life, to all her other firsts, Ashfan has been there to build a relationship to the best of his ability from a distance.
Soon after Shannon returned to the US, she and Ashfan began the process of getting the documentation required for them to be permanently reunited as a family. They don’t know how much longer this will take, but are hoping that by this time next year, they will be together.
When asked what it would mean to their family to be reunited, Shannon got teary-eyed. “It would mean the world. It’s heartbreaking when Adalia asks to play with her daddy or only knows to get the phone when she wants to talk to him and gives him a hug only by hugging the phone, and when Ashfan gets emotional about all of the things he is missing out on. It would be so important, not just to unite our family, but to introduce Adalia to her Indian heritage. We’ve sacrificed and worked so hard. This would be a huge reward for us.”
Let’s back up the story of how Shannon and her husband met. Shannon and Ashfan met in 2011 through mutual friends, and were engaged a year and a half later. Shortly after their engagement, Ashfan, whose family is from India and where he grew up, received news of his father’s declining health, and he had to rush off to help out. Shannon planned on joining him not long after to meet his family in person, this was very important to both of them. However, when Shannon arrived in India, unfortunately it was too late. Ashfan’s father had passed just days before she arrived in the country.
The grieving process in his family is sacred. During the time of mourning, participation in celebratory festivals and events is limited or restricted. Making life-altering decisions like changing jobs or moving is also discouraged. Shannon and Ashfan were, however, able to be married in India during this time surrounded by his family. His family gave their blessing despite their initial hesitation because they saw the love Shannon and Ashfan shared. “Looking back”, Shannon says “we should have gotten married in the United States, maybe it would have been easier. At the time, it was really exciting and it was important for his family to be there to celebrate our marriage.”
Shannon spent several blissful months in India and days before returning to America, she found out that she was pregnant- a happy surprise to everyone! At the time, they had no idea that it would be more than 5 years before they would see each other again. Shannon spent her entire pregnancy without Ashfan who was still in India and gave birth to Adalia with Ashfan there only via Skype. From Adalia’s first breath of life, to all her other firsts, Ashfan has been there to build a relationship to the best of his ability from a distance.
Soon after Shannon returned to the US, she and Ashfan began the process of getting the documentation required for them to be permanently reunited as a family. They don’t know how much longer this will take, but are hoping that by this time next year, they will be together.
When asked what it would mean to their family to be reunited, Shannon got teary-eyed. “It would mean the world. It’s heartbreaking when Adalia asks to play with her daddy or only knows to get the phone when she wants to talk to him and gives him a hug only by hugging the phone, and when Ashfan gets emotional about all of the things he is missing out on. It would be so important, not just to unite our family, but to introduce Adalia to her Indian heritage. We’ve sacrificed and worked so hard. This would be a huge reward for us.”
Organisateur et bénéficiaire
Mary Sundermeier
Organisateur
Columbus, OH
Shannon Shaikh
Bénéficiaire