Iraqi Boy’s Road to Recovery Ends With Successful Surgery

Ahaip looks on as a Soldier from the 3rd Infantry Division prepares the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter that will take him to Al Sadr Hospital in An Najaf Oct. 8. (Photo by Sgt. Timothy Kingston, 55th Combat Camera)

A young boy from Hollendia underwent a final surgery to correct a severe colon condition at Al Sadr Hospital in An Najaf Oct. 9. The boy, Ahaip, had already undergone two surgeries to reintroduce his colon into his body.

For Ahaip, this final surgery marked the end of a long road to recovery, made possible by U.S. Soldiers.

Ahaip was born with an obstructed bowel at birth, which required emergency surgery. The surgery left Ahaip’s intestines outside his body until he was discovered by Soldiers from the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion, a Reserve unit from Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, during a village assessment in May.

Since May, the 3-1 Cav. Regt. has been working with the boy’s family to enable him to live a normal life. Using Army contacts, they were able to coordinate with a surgeon at Al Sadr hospital in An Najaf to get Ahaip the medical treatment he desperately needed.

“This last surgery lasted about two hours and it was a complete success,” said 1st Lt. Chris Sweitzer from Maryville, Tenn., 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, a Reserve unit from Knoxville, Tn. “The boy is recovering and should be ready to return home in about a week.”

The week prior to the surgery, 3-1 Cav. Regt. coordinated air travel to get the child and his father from Hollendia in time for the surgery.

“We will check back in a couple of days to make sure he is doing all right,” Sweitzer said.

The 3-1 Cav. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March.