Man who survived 2006 bombing in Iraq graduates from UT Austin

Photo Credit: KVUEabc

Qusay Hussein was 17 when a suicide bomber drove a truck into a stadium where he was playing volleyball.

This week, students graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Among them was Qusay Hussein.

Hussein was 17 years old in 2006, when a suicide bomber in Iraq drove a truck into a stadium where he was playing volleyball. Sixteen people died and 56 were injured.

Hussein lost his vision and his nose.

The U.S. military connected him with Doctors Without Borders, who brought him to the U.S. He underwent 58 reconstructive surgeries and ended up in Austin so that he could attend the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

On Saturday, Hussein graduated with his Master's degree from UT. He also served as the commencement speaker for the Steve Hicks School of Social Work.

"I know most of you and your ability to achieve, so I know our ideal tenacity, compassion, kindness will light the world around us and justice and love will prevail," Hussein said in his speech.

In the fall, Hussein will start his PhD program at UT.



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