Support Zahra's Family After Tragic Loss

My name is Zakia Nouri, and I never imagined I’d find myself on GoFundMe — asking for help is incredibly hard. But today, I know I can’t do this alone.

I’m raising funds for a dear friend, Zahra, and her three young children, who are facing a devastating loss.

I met Habib Alidadi’s family three years ago. They are an Afghan family of five — with three beautiful children: a 14-year-old son named Subhan, a 7-year-old daughter named Sofia, and a 5-year-old son named Sami. We became close not just because we share Afghan roots and the experience of being new immigrants to the U.S., but also because our kids became best friends. My son Alvin, now 4.5, and Sofia and Sami are inseparable — they can play together for hours without a single fight. Watching them laugh and bond has brought me so much joy.

Over time, I came to know more about their story. Habib and Zahra came to the U.S. in 2016 with their oldest son. Like many immigrants, they worked incredibly hard to rebuild their lives from scratch. Habib did freelance translation and drove Uber to provide for his family, while Zahra, after having Sofia and Sami, began pursuing a nursing degree. They never once complained — instead, they were always grateful for the chance to start over here in peace and safety.

In 2021, they were able to buy a small condo with support from low-income housing programs, and the kids were thriving in school.

A few weeks ago, Habib and his family had to make an urgent trip abroad after hearing that his mother had fallen seriously ill. Habib feared he might never get another chance to see her. Tragically, during that trip, their world changed forever. Habib passed away unexpectedly due to a heart attack. His sudden passing has left Zahra and the children in deep grief, and facing significant financial hardship.

This loss has been devastating. As a friend, I am still struggling to process it. As a mother of two myself, I cannot fathom what Zahra is going through now — facing the future alone, with three children to raise and the weight of grief on her shoulders.

What breaks my heart the most is imagining how she will soothe Sofia and Sami when they ask for their dad. How do you explain to two small children that their father is gone forever? That he won't be coming home to hug them, to read to them, to play with them again? I don’t know how Zahra will find the words — or how she’ll carry their heartbreak alongside her own.

But there is a small light ahead.

Zahra has just secured her first nursing job, and she is set to start in August. She is determined to move forward, to keep going for her children, and to honor Habib’s memory. But she can’t do it alone.

Zahra will need support to make it through the next few months — to cover funeral costs, basic living expenses, childcare, and housing costs until her income is stable. She has worked so hard for years to build a future for her family. Let’s help her hold on to that future.

Please donate if you can — and just as importantly, please share this story. Every bit of support makes a difference.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

– Zakia