Roanoke company donates prosthesic leg to Iraqi refugee

By Mollie Halpern
Investigative Reporter
Published: June 27, 2008

10 on your side has been following the journey of a political refugee family from iraq as they adjust to life in the United States.
read previous stories
Hayder Kharalla was an interpreter for U.S. soldiers in iraq when his unit took fire.
He lost his leg while tring to save a U.S. Sergeant from crossfire.
After our last story aired, we got a call from Virginia Prosthetics saying employees there were so moved by Hayder’s story that they wanted to donate both walking and running prosthetic legs to him..
Today, Haydar went for an evaluation at Virginia Prosthetics.
They took an image of his leg so that they could make a mold from it.
That’s what this machine right here is doing.
Haydar says he is just overwhelmed by the kindness Americans are showing him.
Hayder Kharalla/Iraqi Refugee says, I was like out of words, saying thank you isn’t enough, i didn’t know how to respond to it i was shocked because i’ve been waiting for this moment since a long time.”
Doug Call/Pres., Virginia Prosthetics says, “What this gentleman did to help our folks in the military i just stepped up and said hey- we can help get this guy where he wants to be.”
Haydar’s current prosthetic leg was old and causing him pain.
He says when he gets his new one—he will organize and participate in a charity run for the children of fallen U.S. soldiers.