Syrian refugee's coming to Troy post goes viral on Facebook
TROY, Mich. - A surprise for city leaders as a Syrian refugee is coming to Troy.
The move came to light in a heart-wrenching post on social media about the man's journey from the war-torn region.
A number of Syrian refugees have come to Michigan since a civil war there got started. There is mixed reaction to the latest family among them in Troy.
It is the series of Facebook posts gone viral. An unnamed Syrian refugee detailed his life and loss in the country wrecked by war, gets a Presidential shout out from Barack Obama
The Commander In Chief welcomes the man and his family to America. Their destination: Troy
"It's a big surprise to us," said Troy Mayor Dane Slater. "I don't think there's anyone in the city that's been notified that this might happen or what it's really all about."
"I don’t know whether this is true or not true, but Troy is a very diverse city. It's always been a welcoming community so we welcome anyone who comes in the city of Troy."
In the Facebook post on the Humans of New York page, the man describes himself as a scientist who lost his wife and a daughter in a shelling that destroyed his compound and several members of his extended family. His son and daughter survived.
Dr. Yahya Basha is a Syrian immigrant and advocate who says his story is a not an uncommon one.
"It's symbolic of the suffering of other people of other nations and other neighborhoods," Basha said.
By Basha's count nearly 200 Syrian refugees have come to Michigan since the civil war began, many of them settling in Oakland County.
"I'm not sure about why Troy," Basha said. "But definitely for a scientist like him with outstanding history, Troy won't be a bad choice it might be one of the good choices."
The arrival of Syrian refugees has come under scrutiny since the terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California.
GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump went as far as calling for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.
So how do people in Troy feel about the family that could soon become their neighbors?
"Me personally I don't mind," said Robert Schmid. "I really don't mind because he's just another person."
"I'm really sorry for what happened to him and his family that's really sad," said Marie Blough. "If he can make it here and do something that's good for us then great. But then you got those other ones who say they’ll do it, and then they end up being like the ones that killed those people in Seattle or wherever it was."
And if the Facebook posts are in fact true, the man and his family fleeing the civil war in Syria will be the first to arrive in Troy according to Mayor Slater.