This story tells the life of Saleh Khalaf. At age 9, during the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, Saleh lost both hands and an eye, and was severely wounded in the abdomen after picking up a bomb that exploded. He was nicknamed ‘Lionheart’ after his heart stopped seven times on the operating table and he refused to die. For twenty years, Deanne Fitzmaurice followed his journey, from the young boy who traveled to the United States for lifesaving care to the mutilated adult and refugee navigating the complexities of life in America. What began as a portrait of Saleh’s personal struggle grew into a broader story about the devastating effects of war on civilians.
Copyright photo: © Deanne Fitzmaurice



