Book Description
Abdul Salman's dream of becoming a professional soccer player and marrying his sweetheart quickly evolves into a nightmare after his fate takes a heartbreaking turn. When his best friend and teammate, Ali, dies accidentally and his uncle, Achmed, inadvertently helps a terrorist, neither of their lives will ever be the same. Ali's father, Sayad, blames Abdul for his son's death vowing to kill him and everyone he loves. As time passes Abdul plays soccer every day to improve his skills and is accepted into the Iraqi Military Academy on a soccer scholarship. He is celebrated as a national hero after kicking the winning goal at the national championship against Syria. But the celebration quickly becomes a disappointment as Abdul's teammates lift him into the air and drop him, breaking his knee. His leg and his dreams are crushed forever. As political tensions begin to boil over in Iraq, Sayad is elected as Sadaam Hussein's assistant and uses his position of power to take revenge against Abdul and his family. Abdul and his loved ones are faced with moments of absolute terror as they try to escape the stronghold of their government and the wrath of Sayad, the father of Ali, the childhood friend of Abdul. With tense themes of hope and justice, along with lessons in war history, Russell Hayes takes readers on an unforgettable adventure through tragedy and triumph. Russell Hayes lives in Kuna, Idaho with his wife, Carmen and their six children. He is an air ambulance pilot and a former member of the United States Army. Russell has attended the Little People of America conference for the last twelve years. Look for updates about the Salman family on Russell's website: www.dwarfchildren.org
