Widower Fosters 80 Children Nobody Wants So He Can Be with Them in Their Last Moments

Mohamed Bzeek, a widower, has devoted his life to terminally ill children for more than two decades. Yet, despite the strain attached to it, he would rather be by their side until their last moment.

Children brighten up the world, and parents and guardians would usually do anything to protect them. This is generally more tasking for parents whose kids have medical conditions.

Sometimes, the conditions can be corrected by a simple surgery or even medicine, but other times, it is terminal.

[Left] Mohamed Bzeek carrying a little girl that has microcephaly; [Right] Mohamed Bzeek at a graveyard. | Source: instagram.com/letsgetpoliticalyoutube.com/gofundm

While some children are lucky to have parents or guardians who will do everything to raise them and be there no matter the challenges, others aren’t so lucky.

Imagine a child battling a terminal illness with no one to lean on, remaining at the mercy of strangers at orphanages. Unfortunately, this situation is the reality for some children who have no parents to look after them or anyone else to adopt them.

This was what Bzeek found when he migrated to the U.S. and discovered kids that had been abandoned due to one reason or the other. This good man would go on to find fame on social media when news of how he chose to help the kids went viral.

BZEEK CARED FOR MANY KIDS UNTIL THEIR LAST MOMENT

Bzeek became a popular name on social media after the news of his kind act went viral. The man moved from Libya to the U.S. in 1978, but he quickly realized the American dream he came chasing would have to wait when he landed.

He married a woman named Dawn in 1989, who had been caring for foster kids. In 1995, they both decided to devote themselves to adding value to the lives of the most vulnerable kids. Even after his wife died in 2015, Bzeek carried on with their vow as “it only seemed natural to continue.”

The widower has spent more than two decades caring for terminally ill kids who had no one to care for them. Aside from losing his wife, who died of a blood clot in her lungs, Bzeek has lost about ten kids, but that did not discourage him from being there for the rest.

Over time, Bzeek’s home became a sanctuary for terminally ill children who cannot speak or hear because he has made it his goal to bring laughter and joy before bidding them farewell.

BZEEK DEVOTES TIME TO A SPECIAL NEEDS GIRL

It is a roller coaster of emotions, but Bzeek is relentless about fulfilling his promise to his late wife. As of 2017, he lived in California and was said to be looking after a 6-year-old who was born deaf and blind. The little girl has microcephaly, where the brain does not develop adequately. According to Bzeek:

“The only way to communicate with her is by touch, and so I hold her. I want her to know that somebody is here for her. Somebody loves her. She is not alone.”

Bzeek’s priority is to ensure that his foster kids feel safe. He has even been known to hold vigils by their bedside so that he can keep an eye on them. His influence on the kids helps prolong their lives and gives them the peace they never experienced. 

The assistant regional administrator for Medical Case Management Services, Rosella Yousef, who always sends the kids to Bzeek, had this to say:

“Mohamed is an exceptional foster parent — it is his love and excellent care that has kept the child currently in his care thriving, when initially, she was only expected to live a few weeks. He has kept her living well beyond her doctors’ expectations.”

BZEEK ASSISTS HIS SON WITH HOMEWORK

In addition to caring for his foster kids, Bzeek also raises his son, Adam, who suffers from a bone disease called osteogenesis imperfecta. Bzeek told People:

“It’s how God made him, but he is a fighter, just like the kids who have come to live with us.”

Adam studies computer science at Citrus College but cannot use his hands much due to his weak bones. As a result, he relies on his father to assist him with homework and simple tasks like dressing up and taking a bath.

When asked why he was putting himself through the demanding task of adopting special needs kids, he said:

“Even if these children cannot communicate or see or hear, they have a soul. They need somebody to love them. I tell them, ‘It will be okay — I am here for you. We will go through this together.'”

BZEEK BELIEVES KIDS SHOULD BE CARED FOR

In truth, not many people can do what Bzeek does, but the man also has reasons besides the promise he made to his wife. His bond with the kids stems from his ability to relate to their predicament. 

Loneliness had been all he felt on his sickbed when he was sick in the past, which means he can understand what it feels like to be sick and in need of help and cannot look up to anyone.

Most of the kids who spent their final months with Bzeek were brought to him as infants from Los Angeles County hospitals, where they had been neglected by parents who couldn’t care for them.

This Libyan immigrant’s story emphasizes the need to show care and kindness, especially to people who cannot cater to their basic needs or have a family to support them.

Anomama