Greenville S.C. — St. Anthony of Padua Parish here has welcomed Salee Alawi, an 11-year-old Iraqi girl who lost both legs in a November 2006 air strike.
The parish is supporting Salee’s stay in Greenville and at Shriners Hospital, which specializes in pediatric orthopedics, by providing needed funding and prayer for her to walk again. A reception to launch this new relationship was held on Aug. 9.
Salee’s two legs were removed by a misguided bomb in Iraq, said pastor Patrick Tuttle. She is “a victim of collateral damage,” he said.
Salee received the first of two prosthetic legs in early August and, at the time of this writing, was awaiting her second new leg.
St. Anthony’s and the Province’s Poverello Fund were instrumental in Salee coming to Greenville and getting care, Patrick said, adding that Holy Name provided travel expenses and money for healing. Salee arrived in the United States on July 8.
Salee was brought to the United States through the No More Victims Foundation, Patrick said, adding that “she is a most courageous and excited 11-year-old. She is amazingly cheerful.”
The staff and parishioners of St. Anthony are providing moral and spiritual support to Salee while she learns to walk on her new legs, Patrick said. Parishioner Dr. Lisa Hall, who works with Upstate Coalition of Compassion, coordinated the parish effort. Photos and information about Salee’s progress can be found on the Web site of Upstate Coalition of Compassion, an organization dedicated to providing medical sponsorships for war-injured Iraqi children while spreading awareness of civilian casualties and pursuing a non-violent path toward peace.
The Upstate Coalition works in partnership with No More Victims, a California-based humanitarian organization.