Salpie Shella Michael is fundraising
Lebanon Crisis Fund
On August 4th, a massive explosion shook my birthplace of BEIRUT, the capital of LEBANON. The intensity of the blast left hundreds dead, thousands injured, and a few hundred thousand homeless.
This catastrophic disaster was the breaking point for a country that was already in the midst of a major political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.
Seeing the horrific images and video footage of the aftermath takes me back to my childhood. Before relocating to the United States forty years ago, my family and I lived very close to the epicenter of the recent Beirut blast. In fact, from one of our apartment’s balconies we could see the beautiful port of Beirut, and from the other, the community hospital, both of which were heavily damaged during the blast.
In the late 1970s, my family and I lived through the Lebanese civil war. Much like the victims of the recent explosion, we were forced to endure destitute living conditions and great misfortune. While families elsewhere in the world were having warm meals in their homes, we were hiding in dark underground basements trying to survive bombing raids in the city. After a cease fire was finally called, my family and I returned to our home to find my bedroom completely destroyed. This is just one example of the many hardships we faced during the war. The height of our troubles came one evening when I was five years old. As I sat watching a neighborhood wedding from our balcony, I was randomly shot. My only memory after being shot is of my mom carrying me and running to the emergency room across the street. The highly qualified staff at Saint George/Roum Hospital saved my life! Yes, I survived for a purpose!
During this week’s blast, the Saint George Hospital University Medical Center (SGHUMC) sustained severe damages. Despite the chaos that ensued, the staff worked to provide urgent care for victims on the hospital floor, in parking lots, and without electricity. Four nurses lost their lives on duty, 12 patients were declared dead and more than a hundred healthcare professionals and administrative staff were injured. In order for the hospital to go back to a fully-operational state, it is estimated that over $10 million USD in repairs are needed.
Today, I urge you to join hands with my non-profit organization, the Guardian Angels Foundation, with a generous donation which will directly help rehabilitate SGHUMC, help the children and the families who lost their loved ones, as well as help build a PTSD treatment center in the near future.
Together, we can lessen the pain and suffering of the Lebanese people during this tragic time.
Together, we can transform victims to empowered survivors.
Together, we can give them hope for a better life and a better future!
It all begins today with you.
MAKE A DONATION!
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS FUNDRAISER WILL GO DIRECTLY TO HELP SAINT GEORGE HOSPITAL, AND ALL THE FAMILIES IN NEED!
EVERY PENNY COUNTS, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND DONATE!
This catastrophic disaster was the breaking point for a country that was already in the midst of a major political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.
Seeing the horrific images and video footage of the aftermath takes me back to my childhood. Before relocating to the United States forty years ago, my family and I lived very close to the epicenter of the recent Beirut blast. In fact, from one of our apartment’s balconies we could see the beautiful port of Beirut, and from the other, the community hospital, both of which were heavily damaged during the blast.
In the late 1970s, my family and I lived through the Lebanese civil war. Much like the victims of the recent explosion, we were forced to endure destitute living conditions and great misfortune. While families elsewhere in the world were having warm meals in their homes, we were hiding in dark underground basements trying to survive bombing raids in the city. After a cease fire was finally called, my family and I returned to our home to find my bedroom completely destroyed. This is just one example of the many hardships we faced during the war. The height of our troubles came one evening when I was five years old. As I sat watching a neighborhood wedding from our balcony, I was randomly shot. My only memory after being shot is of my mom carrying me and running to the emergency room across the street. The highly qualified staff at Saint George/Roum Hospital saved my life! Yes, I survived for a purpose!
During this week’s blast, the Saint George Hospital University Medical Center (SGHUMC) sustained severe damages. Despite the chaos that ensued, the staff worked to provide urgent care for victims on the hospital floor, in parking lots, and without electricity. Four nurses lost their lives on duty, 12 patients were declared dead and more than a hundred healthcare professionals and administrative staff were injured. In order for the hospital to go back to a fully-operational state, it is estimated that over $10 million USD in repairs are needed.
Today, I urge you to join hands with my non-profit organization, the Guardian Angels Foundation, with a generous donation which will directly help rehabilitate SGHUMC, help the children and the families who lost their loved ones, as well as help build a PTSD treatment center in the near future.
Together, we can lessen the pain and suffering of the Lebanese people during this tragic time.
Together, we can transform victims to empowered survivors.
Together, we can give them hope for a better life and a better future!
It all begins today with you.
MAKE A DONATION!
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS FUNDRAISER WILL GO DIRECTLY TO HELP SAINT GEORGE HOSPITAL, AND ALL THE FAMILIES IN NEED!
EVERY PENNY COUNTS, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND DONATE!
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