Lionheart: The Story of Saleh

This project documents the life of Saleh Khalaf. During the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, when he was 9 years old, Saleh lost both his hands and an eye, and was seriously wounded in the abdomen when he picked up a bomb that exploded. He earned the nickname ‘Lionheart’ after his heart stopped seven times on the operating table as he refused to die. Over the past 20 years, Deanne Fitzmaurice has documented his journey, from a young boy brought to the United States for life-saving medical treatment, to a man navigating the complexities of life as a maimed refugee in America. What began as a story about Saleh’s personal struggle has evolved into a broader narrative about the brutal effects of war on civilians.

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Raheem would comfort Saleh in his hospital bed until he fell asleep. Raheem worried about his wife and children back in Iraq, where the war was raging. December 16, 2003.

As he began to venture outside the hospital more often, Saleh would wear sunglasses to hide his missing eye. On this trip to the grocery store, he forgot them and was stared at by other customers. April 20, 2004.

Saleh and Fatima, and their son, Muhammed. November 19, 2024.

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Raheem would comfort Saleh in his hospital bed until he fell asleep. Raheem worried about his wife and children back in Iraq, where the war was raging. December 16, 2003.