Detroit foster family gives Palestinian boy new chance at life with prosthetic leg

DETROIT (WJBK) - At just 14 years old, Issa Almouti has seen a lot, and lost even more due to the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

"He was looking for his younger brother and he got shot by ... the Israeli soldier and they took him to (a) hospital," a translator said for Almouti. "It was five shots actually."

This happened in his home of Bethlehem back in September.

"He was handcuffed for three days in bed in (the) hospital and he did three surgeries. He suffered a lot," the translator said for Almouti.

That's when the volunteers with the Palestine Children's Relief Fund found a foster family in Detroit with the end goal of getting Almouti walking again, which led him to an appointment at A New Life Prosthetics and Orthotics.

"We'll get him up and walking on it. As his limb changes, we will have to make at least one more," said Chris Casteel, co-owner or A New Life Prosthetics and Orthotics. "As he becomes more stable and more comfortable with it, we will make it more permanent."

It will take two weeks to make the leg, and then it's just a matter of getting familiar with it. But this 14-year-old has motivation and plans.

"He's looking to go back to school and be a lawyer to defend himself and defend the people around him because what happened to him is not fair -- he is a young kid," the translator said for Almouti. "Shooting him five times in his leg (was) not fair."

Apparently, he has been put in a place to do just that. He said he feels very welcome, and has access to anything he needs.

"To make his stay and therapy and the process smoother -- that's what we wanted to do for him," said Huda Kazak, a Palestine Children's Relief Fund volunteer.

To volunteer with the fund, visit pcrf.net.