The Ahmadi Story

Torn apart by tragedy, an Afghan family’s love endures

August 26th, 2021, is a day forever fixed in the memory of Ajmal and Alima Ahmadi (pseudonyms for security reasons). 

The son of a long-time educator and advocate of girls’ education, Ajmal worked as a U.S. ally in his home country of Afghanistan as an IT Specialist and interpreter for the U.S. Army, USAID, DAI (American NGO), and the World Bank. When the Taliban began to take control, he knew that he, his wife, and four children would no longer be safe there. So they made the difficult decision to leave the only home they’d ever known.

This young couple, along with their four young children, found themselves in the Abbey Gate area of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021. The urgency in the airport was palpable as thousands of Afghans like the Ahmadis were trying to make it out in the U.S. evacuation. The sea of people there were waiting in lines thousands-deep, eager to show their documentation and be approved for evacuation by the U.S. military personnel stationed there.

Ajmal and Alima decided it would be best for their children if Ajmal waited in the daunting line and they stayed removed from the throngs in a different area of the airport. Ajmal inched his way forward in the line for hours, while Alima huddled with their children nearby. At last, Ajmal reached the front of the line. The U.S. military personnel reviewed his documentation and they were approved for evacuation. When asked where his family was, Ajmal motioned behind him, toward the direction where he’d separated from Alima hours earlier. The military men agreed to secure an escort for Ajmal’s family. Finally, Ajmal breathed a sigh of relief that they would be safely evacuated together.

Just a few hundred yards away, Alima and the children were waiting for word from Ajmal. The afternoon passed and still no word. Dinnertime came and their two-year-old daughter’s hunger drew them away from their original waiting location in search of something to eat. Alima had no idea that her mother’s instinct and her daughter’s appetite would save their lives just a few moments later.

Just as the military personnel began to make their way toward Ajmal’s family, the unthinkable happened. Ajmal found himself on the ground, the only thing he could hear was a ringing in his ears. It took a moment for him to realize: that there had been an explosion inside the airport, not far from where he had just been standing with the military personnel. As his hearing slowly returned, he heard screams and felt the widespread panic that filled the already-tense scene. This panic set in for him personally as he realized, at that point, there was no way of contacting Alima or knowing if his family was safe.

Although Ajmal was unable to contact them, Alima and the children were indeed safe in a separate area of the airport at the time of the explosion. But Alima knew she needed to get the children out of the airport once the explosion occurred. She managed to secure transportation for them to a relative’s home not far from the airport, all the while making attempt after attempt to reach Ajmal. 

It would be hours more of agonizing waiting before Ajmal and Alima would finally make contact on their cell phones–inexpressible relief as they realized all were safe. By then, Ajmal explained to Alima that the U.S. military had re-started the process of permitting evacuees in the airport and he was at the front of the line. They found themselves at an unimaginable impasse–Alima and the children would not be permitted to join Ajmal in the airport because they closed the airport following the explosion. If Ajmal chose to leave the airport to rejoin his family, his life would be at risk as there were Taliban-controlled checkpoints just outside the airport gates. Alima spoke the one incredibly brave word that felt like the only option, “Go.” 

In a frenzied blur of hurry and emotions, Ajmal soon found himself on a C-17 with hundreds of fellow Afghans. The U.S. soldiers on board began asking the crowd for someone who could speak English, Pashto, and Dari. Ajmal quickly volunteered, and before he knew what happened, they passed him a megaphone and he was interpreting instructions to all of the plane’s occupants. 

Ajmal’s service alongside the U.S. soldiers did not stop there. After days of travels, complete with international stops, he found himself on a military base in Indiana interpreting for hundreds of people. He slept very little during that time, not only kept awake by the deep concern for his family and their future but also because his skill set was in high demand. The days turned into months, and eventually, Ajmal settled in Columbus. He immediately began serving the rapidly growing Afghan community here, including as an employee in a local school system.

Alima and the kids stayed with extended family, but the Taliban’s regime limited her ability to go out in public and school was not an option for the children. Technology afforded the family the opportunity to stay in contact and see each other on a daily basis. Their youngest daughter asked in every conversation, “Daddy, why can’t you just come home?” As each day passed, Ajmal reassured Alima that he would find a way to reunite the family and begin a new life in Columbus. 

Ajmal spent all of his spare time pursuing avenues for bringing his family here, but the challenges were great. Navigating the documentation process required by the U.S. government–including obtaining passports from Afghanistan–was among the biggest barriers. Ajmal’s concern for his family continued to grow as he heard that Taliban leaders were looking for him. He made yet another difficult decision to quit his job and devote himself full-time to bringing his family to safety. 

Finally, in the spring of 2023, after 18 months of across-the-globe separation, the Ahmadi family was reunited in the Columbus airport amidst many hugs and tears with support from CRIS. They are now able to begin the process of healing together as a family and building a new life and home here. When considering their hopes and dreams for the future, Ajmal proudly declares as he embraces his youngest daughter, “In this home, we believe in women’s empowerment.” Ajmal and Alima are very happy that all of their children now have access to a good education. Ajmal explains, “We want to raise them to contribute to this society.”

Though the Ahmadis are inexpressibly grateful to be reunited safely, they still face challenges as they rebuild their lives here. Ajmal hopes to secure a job in his area of expertise as an IT Specialist.