LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Hundreds of Afghanistan refugees relocated to Louisville following the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
Last year, WDRB News met Mohammad, a father of eight, who spent most of his adult life working for the Afghan National Army.Â
When the Taliban blitzed Kabul, Afghanistan, Mohammad's work against the Taliban made him an instant target. Although Mohammad is now comfortable showing his face, WDRB News is still concealing his last name.
"They have spies, so they knew where I'm living," he said of the Taliban fighters in 2021. "So that is why — I just — the first thing like call to my wife and my children, just change the location."
His family secured a spot on a plane out, but his two oldest got separated from the rest of the family and were forced to stay behind. Mohammad said it was one of the most difficult things to comes to terms with.
"Many times, I call them, 'Just come close to the gate if you can, if you can come in.' But they couldn't," Mohammad said in 2021.
Now, nearly a year later, Mohammad welcomed WDRB News into his new home in Louisville.
"We feel better, we feel good. Everything is good," Mohammad said.
Mohammad landed a job at GE appliances, his kids are in JCPS schools and his wife is taking care of their youngest at home.
As for his English, Mohammad says his kids are picking it up quicker than him.
"She doesn't need (an) interpreter, she doesn't need to translate something. She knows English. That's good," he said about his daughter.
His toddler learning English just like many American kids watching Cocomelon, a popular children's program.
Mohammad, an Afghan refugee living in Louisville, shared this photo of his kids and their mentors enjoying the Louisville Zoo with WDRB News.
Catholic Charities of Louisville has been there every step of the process for Mohammad's family. Its mentorship program has helped the kids with school questions and ESL. And on a lighter note, takes the kids to see some of the fun Louisville has to offer, like the zoo.
One of the things Mohammad said he's now able to enjoy is taking his kids' to the park. A luxury he couldn't risk in Kabul.
"A lot of suicide bombing happened, so that is why we didn't feel we were safe," he said.
His Afghanistan roots aren't completely forgotten in his new life in America.
The international supermarket offering Mohammad's family comfort in the best way: food.
Mohammad, an Afghan refugee living in Louisville, smiles with a pile of Bolani, leek filled flatbread, homemade by his wife.
He shared with WDRB News homemade Bolani, a leek stuffed flatbread, and hot Afghan tea.
Down the hall from the kitchen in his home there's another reminder from home. A space without couches and blankets and pillows lay on the floor. He says it's a space he welcomes his new found Afghanistan refugee community.
Mohammad, an Afghan refugee living in Louisville, created a second family room to emulate a traditional Afghani home with pillows and carpet on the floor for guests to sit.
"Some other Afghanis came here, so maybe sometimes they don't like to sit here (on couches), I say, 'OK go there, relax.'"
Half a world away, his oldest kids face the new Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
His daughter in her 20s is no longer able to go to teach school or finish college.
"The Taliban will not allow them to go to the school or the college. Because she's woman," he said."
His son is also in Kabul, Mohammad said his son just lost four of his friends in a suicide bombing.
"It means 12 years he was friend with their classmates. Now, he lost four of them, so that is also difficult for my son," he said.
Something Mohammad's wife wishes she could be there to comfort him.
"My wife, she become sad- why my son has become like that," he said.
Mohammad's dream to reunite his family still holds strong one year later.
"I'm looking when, if they have a chance to come here. That will be okay," he said.
A hope he's not letting go.
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