An Emirati couple from Al Mirfa’a, a coastal town in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, made a three-hour journey to the capital on Friday—not just to volunteer, but to share a story that defies medical odds and celebrates the power of love, resilience, and community.
Seven years ago, Khalil Al Hosani, a former soldier and father of eight, suffered a devastating stroke that left him completely paralysed. Doctors told him he would never walk again. For five years, he remained bedridden, his future seemingly sealed.
But his wife, Fatima, refused to accept that fate.
“The hospital treatment was slow and discouraging,” she recalled. “So I brought him home and took matters into my own hands.”
Fatima began a daily ritual that was as unconventional as it was determined. She took Khalil to the beach in Al Mirfa, buried him in warm sand for hours, massaged his muscles with sand and seawater, and bathed him in the sea. Day after day, for months, she repeated the process.
Miraculously, within four to five months, Khalil began to stand
“Watching him walk, run, and play like a child again—it was the happiest time of my life,” Fatima said, her eyes gleaming with pride.
Now 60, Khalil walks unaided. Though they keep a wheelchair in the car for long trips, he rarely needs it.
The couple were among 450 volunteers at the ‘Volunteer Emirates – Back to School’ initiative, organised by Dubai Cares in partnership with Aldar. Together, they helped assemble school kits for children from low-income families.
For Fatima, the experience was deeply personal.
“It reminded me of packing my own children’s school bags,” she said. “Sandwiches, juice, dressing them, doing the girls’ hair, sending them off on the bus. Today, I felt that same joy helping other children prepare for school.”
Though Fatima never attended school herself, she taught herself to read and write alongside her children. That’s why education is close to her heart.
“Every child deserves the chance to study,” she said.
The couple’s journey from Al Mirfa to Abu Dhabi is one they make gladly—and often.
“Not just today—every day,” Khalil said. “From the street to the market, in every field, we help.”
When asked why they keep showing up, Fatima’s answer was simple:
“We’re a team of two—me and my husband. Wherever there’s a chance to do good, we’ll go.”
For both, each act of service is a celebration of life reclaimed.
“We thank God every day,” Khalil said. “If you can stand, if you can walk, then you can give. And when you give, you are alive.”
