JEDDAH: Following the recent devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey, Emirati journalist Monther Al-Muzaqi Al-Shamsi traveled to Syria to cover the disaster, where he met families and children affected by the disaster.
In a video that has been viewed over 2.3 million times, which Al-Shamsi posted on his Twitter account on 16 February, the journalist asked these children about their dreams.
Among the group was Rabia Shahin, a Syrian girl of about 10 years old, who caught the public’s attention with her wide smile and optimism despite her and her family’s loss.
Shaheen said he would love to meet the players of Al-Nasr Club, especially the Saudi club’s superstar legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Without hesitation, Shaheen said he would love to take his parents with him, before remembering that his father had passed away as he fought to hold back the tears behind his smile.
Al-Shamsi told Shaheen, “One day, your dream will come true. You will have to go to the stadium and take the people you love with you, where you will see Ronaldo, and maybe he will give you Al-Nassr.” Club T-shirts,” to which Shaheen replied, “Amin.”
The heartwarming story reached Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, who, impressed by Shaheen’s experience, invited the boy and his mother to meet so he could make his dream come true.
Al-Sheikh responded to Al-Shamsi’s video and said in a message that he posted on his official Twitter account: “My children, you and your mother are welcome to come and visit.”
His tweet has been viewed over 8 million times.
Saudi doctor and social media influencer Moyad Al-Thaghafi commented: “May God reward you for your generosity. Once you fulfill Shaheen’s wish, we are very excited to see her happiness.”
Loay Al-Sharif, another Saudi social media influencer, said Al-Sheikh’s gesture was “not surprising at all”, as the chairman is known for his generosity, with an extensive record in humanitarian charity inside and outside the Kingdom.
In November last year, Al-Sheikh bought a painting made by autistic youth in Saudi Arabia for SR200,000 ($53,000). In 2021, he donated SR1 million to a hospital in Egypt.