Yemeni lawmaker works at New York cafe after undergoing open-heart surgery

Yemen

Yemenite

Mohammed Al–Mekhalfi

In May 2025, Yemeni parliamentarian Ahmed Saif Hashed arrived in New York, his heart weighed down by pain that strained his arteries until they seemed on the verge of bursting.

These pains were the result of the exhaustion and immense pressures he had endured defending the oppressed and ordinary people.

He came with his illness and the weight of a homeland that never left him, seeking treatment when medical options in his own country, which was suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, had become inaccessible.

His arrival in the United States was no ordinary medical trip. This was made possible by a noble humanitarian effort undertaken by the Yemeni community in New York.

They organized everything for him, including medical appointments, hospital procedures, housing, and even the smallest details he might need while living away from home. They opened their doors and their hearts, standing by his side as children stand by their father.

They deserve deep gratitude and appreciation for their position, which reflects the true character of Yemenis wherever they are, and for the support that became a pillar for him in one of the most difficult moments of his life.

Hashed underwent open heart surgery at one of New York’s leading hospitals, and the operation was a success.

After several days of careful medical monitoring, doctors advised him to remain under observation for almost two months so that his condition stabilized and his injuries healed completely.

However, Hashed, true to his nature which resists waiting and refuses long stays away from home, refused to stay. He gathered his tired heart and his wounds that were just beginning to heal and left New York for Cairo.

The journey was long and exhausting. He felt sharp pain around the operation site and dark spots appeared near the incision due to the pressure and long hours of sitting.

He endured everything in silence until his arrival in Cairo in early October. There he found himself alone within the four walls of a small apartment, trying to adapt to solitude and gather the strength necessary to complete a therapeutic journey that was far from over.

He still needed surgery on his palate and still suffered from spinal problems and peripheral neuropathy, all of which required constant care and long patience.

Despite these burdens, he tried to stay upright. Sometimes he danced or posted light videos on his Facebook page, not out of joy, but in an attempt to escape the heaviness of reality, to hide for brief moments from the complex and painful scene in Yemen and the recent events that threaten to divide the country.

The accumulated physical and emotional pressure ultimately made the decision to return to New York inevitable. He returned carrying a burden greater than the strength of his exhausted body.

He wished he could visit his homeland, even if only for a day, to see his family he had left behind in Sanaa. His family lives in a modest rented apartment and endures the same hardships as ordinary Yemenis.

They are neither villa owners nor rich people, but a family similar to the millions of people who have been crushed by war and constrained by life.

He returned to New York in search of a new chance at life, even though his heart remained attached to the place he left behind, the place where his country, his family, and all his memories reside.

Just two days after returning to New York, he appeared in a photo on his Facebook page, working in a cafe and making a cup of coffee for a customer.

For those who knew its history and principles, the image was painful, but it was also luminous and revealing. It exposes the contrast between one man who chose to remain honorable and dignified and the many corrupt figures who sold their conscience for insignificant gain.

He stood behind the coffee machine, just as he had always defended his principles. He was unwavering, unashamed to work honestly, and unafraid to face the truth. He lived a simple life that reflected his spirit, a life that was pure, sincere, and free from power or self-interest.

This is Ahmed Saif Hashed: a patient fighter who does not bend under the weight of illness or the harshness of exile and who does not change with changing circumstances.

He bore the wounds of his nation before his own, and his heart, laden with the sorrows of his homeland, remained stronger than any help.

Yemen