American GI Saves Iraqi Boy With Cerebral Palsy - He Adopts Him!

I can only say, "wow." This story is unbelievable. What a testament to the valor and the heart of American troops. You simply HAVE to read the entire story here at Breitbart.

Here are some snippets of the piece but you HAVE TO read the whole article folks!

GI Saves Iraqi Boy in Unlikely Adoption
Dec 23 12:38 PM US/Eastern
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER
Associated Press Writer

MAUSTON, Wis. (AP) - Capt. Scott Southworth knew he'd face violence, political strife and blistering heat when he was deployed to one of Baghdad's most dangerous areas. But he didn't expect Ala'a Eddeen.
Ala'a was 9 years old, strong of will but weak of body—he suffered from cerebral palsy and weighed just 55 pounds. He lived among about 20 kids with physical or mental disabilities at the Mother Teresa orphanage, under the care of nuns who preserved this small oasis in a dangerous place.
On Sept. 6, 2003, halfway through his 13-month deployment, Southworth and his military police unit paid a visit to the orphanage. They played and chatted with the children; Southworth was talking with one little girl when Ala'a dragged his body to the soldier's side.

Then, around Christmas, a sister told Southworth that Ala'a was getting too big. He would have to move to a government-run facility within a year.
"Best case scenario was that he would stare at a blank wall for the rest of his life," Southworth said.
To this day, he recalls the moment when he resolved that that would not happen.
"I'll adopt him," he said.

"We crossed political boundaries. We crossed religious boundaries. There was just a massive effort—all on behalf of this little boy who desperately needed people to actually take some action and not just feel sorry for him," Southworth says.

"He was in my custody then. I could hug him. I could hold him. I could protect him.
"And forever started."
They made it to Wisconsin late Jan. 20, 2005. The next morning, Ala'a awoke to his first sight of snow.
He closed his eyes and grimaced.
"Baba! Baba! The water is getting all over me!"
"It's not water, it's snooooow," Southworth told him.