Losing one's sight, whether all at once or gradually, through congenital causes, accidents, or as a result of reckless medical malpractice, is not a reason to condemn oneself to death or surrender to the overwhelming flood of darkness. Instead, one can stand firm against it and triumph over it for yourself and your dreams, lighting a candle of hope from the depths of the darkness to continue the journey and move forward, becoming who you aspire to be.
She Did Not Lose the Light in Her Eyes
In mid-July, Amani Abdulkareem Al-Azzani crafted an inspiring and unique story, turning her ordeal into an opportunity when she proudly stood on the graduation stage, adorned in her academic cap, graduating from Sana’a University, Faculty of Mass Communication, Department of Public Relations, as part of the 30th graduating batch. Amani captivated everyone with her extraordinary and inspirational story, earning admiration from all as she reached her first major dream—grasping the stars and defeating the darkness that had veiled her eyes for years.
Amani did not lose her eyesight all at once; it faded gradually, with the final loss occurring in 2016 due to a reckless medical error committed by a famous ophthalmic surgeon at one of Sana’a's public hospitals. As a result, this surgical failure plunged her into complete darkness.
In an exclusive interview with "Khuyut," Amani’s father, Abdulkareem Al-Azzani, recounts: "I rushed my daughter to Sana'a to save her from damage that had affected one of her eyes. The condition was that surgery was inevitably required. The surgeon at one of the government hospitals in the capital downplayed the risks of the procedure and, driven by his arrogance, assured us of his ability to restore her vision."
With deep regret and sorrow, he continues, "We were like a drowning person clinging to a straw of hope. After listening to the arrogant doctor's advice, we followed him. However, the result was shocking and disappointing. Amani's surgery failed, which required her to travel to Cairo to treat the damage. There, her eye was emptied, and a prosthetic eye was implanted due to the medical error and the failure of the surgery in Yemen."
On February 11, 1999, at the moment of her birth in a village in the mountainous region of Jabal Saber in Taiz Governorate, her father named her Amani (wishes), inspired by his long-awaited hopes and wishes and the sense of security he believed would come with the arrival of his little daughter, his third child. The family later moved to live in the coastal city of Al-Hodeidah (western Yemen), where Amani began to chart the early chapters of her life.
“Her first childhood trauma came when one of her friends in the neighborhood in Al-Hodeidah cruelly called her ‘one-eyed’, after seeing her wearing medical glasses. The insult cut deep, wounding the young girl’s heart, who rushed home to ask her father, “Am I one-eyed?”
My Name is "One-Eyed"
In her interview with "Khuyut," Amani vividly recalls her first childhood trauma came when one of her friends in the neighborhood in Al-Hodeidah cruelly called her “one-eyed” after seeing her wearing medical glasses. The insult cut deep, wounding the young girl’s heart, prompting her to rush home and ask her father, "Am I one-eyed?"
Her father reassured her and downplayed the word’s impact, urging her not to care about what others said, telling her, "You are not blind; it is us who are blind, unfortunately."
Amani continues her conversation with "Khuyut," sharing that by the first year of secondary school, "my eyesight continued to deteriorate following the failed surgery. However, I was naturally strong-willed. She explains, "I am stubborn by nature, resilient, and not easily broken. I drew my strength from the mighty Jabal Saber, my birthplace and homeland, and from the pure love I absorbed in Al-Hodeidah, my second home."
Torn between her passion for acting and her desire to study media, Amani's dreams wavered at the beginning of a new chapter in her life following the loss of her vision. Yet she was determined not to abandon either. She decided to pursue a degree in media and enrolled in the Faculty of Mass Communication at Sana’a University, embarking on a new and extraordinary journey.
Moreover, Amani states, "It's true that I completely lost my vision at the prime of my youth and maturity, but I managed to overcome the shock with patience, resilience, and a strong faith, ready to embark on the journey ahead as I should be and as I aspire to be."
The Journey Wasn't Easy
On her graduation day, Amani stood on stage, leaning on her younger sister, who wore the same graduation gown as her blind sister. A banner draped over her sister's shoulders read "My Sister is a Graduate," creating a touching and hopeful scene that resonated across Yemeni and international media and spread widely on social media platforms.
She says, "Reaching the graduation stage was neither easy nor ordinary. It was not a path strewn with roses, but rather a dark one filled with pain and successive disappointments. It culminated in complete darkness, depriving me of seeing life, loved ones, and engaging in the activities I once enjoyed."
Amani recalls with both passion and sadness some of her childhood memories: "I was more inclined towards behaviors typically associated with boys. I did not prefer wearing girls' clothes; instead, I enjoyed dressing like boys and cutting my hair like theirs. I would often insist that my father take me along with him on his outings."
Throughout her university years at Sana’a University, Amani had to live away from her family, who resided in the city of Al-Hodeidah. She relied on the strength of her dreams to keep moving forward towards her goal, a goal fueled by the support of a wise and understanding family and a father who believed in his children’s ability to choose their own paths. This well-earned trust culminated in the heartwarming scene created by Amani on the day of her graduation from the Faculty of Mass Communication at Sana'a University.
Likewise, her father, Abdulkareem Al-Azzani, expressed his emotions to "Khuyut," saying: "Today, I am reaping the joy of my life. This isn’t the end of the journey, as long as there’s life ahead. It is her great day, and it is also a momentous and great day for both me and family, seeing my beloved daughter harvest the first fruits of her success, proving that she is stronger than the circumstances of her reality and her new life, and that she can challenge her visual impairment as I always believed she would."
Today, Amani continues to hold on to achieving the rest of her dreams and aspirations as she strides towards fulfilling her passion for acting.
