A whirlwind month continues for Troy newcomer Refaai Hamo, a Syrian scientist-engineer who came here with four surviving children after two years in Istanbul, Turkey, as war refugees.
Now he'll have a prime seat at a nationally televised event Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., WXYZ reports:
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have invited a local Syrian refugee who made national headlines to attend the State of the Union in the First Lady's box.
Refaai Hamo of Troy
Hamo, who has a doctorate degree, landed Dec. 17 at Metro Airport with his son Mohammad, 18, and three surviving daughters — Runahi, 22; Riham , 19; and Rama, 16. They resettled with help from Lutheran Social Services of Michigan (video below) and support from a CrowdRise drive started by New York actor Edward Norton. It raised $463,365 from more than 15,800, which will also benefit other refugee families.
The immigrant's wife and a fourth daughter died when a rocket hit their home in 2013. He says it was fired by Syrian forces battling government opponents in the country's civil war.
Hamo is one of 23 people invited to the First Lady's box for her husband's final annual address to a joint session of Congress. There also will be an empty seat for victim's of gun violence.
He's selected, a White House statement says, to show "where America is going in the future, building on the best of what our country has to offer."
Twenty-two other honorees are asked to sit in the First Lady's box. There will also be an empty seat for victims of gun violence.
