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Haileab (Mawi's father) born in Seraye, Eritrea. Haileab's father dies soon after his birth. Hailebs mother cannot care for infant. Mawi's father raised an orphan in a monastery till age nine. Mawi's father has a hard, troublesome youth into late adulthood - Even once he gets a successful career going in health care
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This would set the father on course of secure future - in a ravaged nation. He would become a 'doctor' of sorts. This would give him status,respect & resources.
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Mawi's Father had successful life. A medical clinic, a pharmacy, a general store, cattle, well respected. Married whom would become mawi;s mom - then War came.
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War ends 1991
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As Ethiopian Army advances nearing his home town
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Endure brutal trek through hostile wilderness & Barren Desert heat to escape war
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Spend Next 3 yrs in Refugee Camp.
Mother 25?, Tewolde 5, Mawi 3, Mehret 1? -
Mother and Kids find their Father at Refugee camp
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Good fortune again blesses the family - Jobs, a home and connections for the duration of their stay at refugee camp.
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Days before family to depart for America, estranged half sibling, teen daughter appears. Wants to travel to America. Father chooses family will not depart until daughter can go. Officials grant her visa - but family must wait 1 year, then they may travel.
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Family relocated to Wheaton - an affluent suburb of Chicago. Spend another two weeks in motel until Bethel Presbyterian church sponsors them
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Father, Haileab, in his late forties; mother, Tsege, in her mid-twenties; half sister, Mulu, in her late teens; older brother, Tewolde, nine; sister, Mehret, five; and me, Selamawi, almost seven years old.
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Sponsors find home for family - cannot believe all that space is for them.
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Recount headlight event. Walking around town being stared at. Seeing the buildings, parks stores etc. Pick out stand out stories that encapsulate the growth the experience. Fascination and Home -sick
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Tewoldi & Mawi go to school - received harshly - many hard lessons.
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Halloween and Parking Meters. A serving tray, would you like a headache. Everybody's Kung Fu fighting. Boys will be Boys Halloween screams Childhood Dreams. Pay the Parking Meter.
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Recount the molding, the shaping, the impact to Mawi's character from observing his brothers interactions with this homeless man.
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Father develops health conditions. Vision loss begins. Let go from job. Cannot afford rent on single family home they have lived in - have to move to public housing development. Father becomes obsessed with pushing children to work and study. hard times for father adjusting.
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The boys study hard, work hard, play hard - Father drives them hard. Life begins to form. Years of hardship after hardship have been overcome. Maybe dreams do happen - Harvard will come calling one day. But tragedy will call sooner.
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Killed by drunk driver. The intersection of yesterday and tomorrow meet for Mawi. Will begin to face life - somewhat alone.
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Mawi Faces loss of the deepest kind. Learns perhaps life isn't fair. New struggles. A couple angels dressed as teachers renew hope. Each year builds. Strives and reaches higher - Senior year bears the fruit of his struggles. Harvard calls.
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As fathers life has crumbled to little more than dependence on welfare subsidies, failing health and memories of when he was an important 'someone' in his homeland. Now reduced to just another immigrant burden in a foreign land.
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Mawi busy with school. Saw father perhaps 4 wks total in fathers last two years of life. Reflects on the man he maybe never knew - only knew him as 'father' - not a man.
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Father and Brother do not live to see Mawi deliver the commencement address at graduation from Harvard in 1999. Tragedy and Triumph are often to close for comfort. One often accompanies the the other - as if they cannot be separated. Such is life...
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Mawi chooses to not forget where he came from. To all whom contributed to lifting him from a war torn desert hell - to a graduate of a most prestigious school - Mawi dedicates his life's work to give back. 'a beetle or an angel.' A Harvard alum.
