A Syrian scientist who shared his devastating personal story on the popular blog Humans of New York received a note of encouragement from one enthusiastic reader: President Barack Obama.
HONY, which usually focuses on the tales of New Yorkers, has been running interviews with refugees in Turkey and Jordan who had been approved for resettlement in the U.S. The unnamed scientist said he is bound for Troy, Michigan, where he hopes to rebuild a life shattered by Syria's civil war.
In a series of seven photos posted Tuesday, the man wrote that he left Syria after his wife and numerous other family members were killed in a bombing. He's been living in Turkey, where he struggles to find work while battling cancer.
"As a husband and a father, I cannot even begin to imagine the loss you've endured," Obama wrote Wednesday night on HONY's Facebook page. "You and your family are an inspiration. I know that the great people of Michigan will embrace you with the compassion and support you deserve."
The man wrote that it had been his goal since boyhood to "become a great scientist and make a lasting contribution to humanity."
The president encouraged him to keep his dream alive in the U.S.
"Yes, you can still make a difference in the world, and we're proud that you'll pursue your dreams here," Obama wrote. "Welcome to your new home. You're part of what makes America great."
The president is something of a HONY fan. In September, he wrote to the subjects of a series on people in Iran.
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