MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) - A 5-year-old Iraqi boy scarred as an infant from a roadside bombing has been formally adopted by his uncle at a special ceremony on Long Island.
The uncle, Hasan Khazaal, nursed his nephew back to life following the 2008 car bombing.
A Long Island judge sealed the adoption Wednesday.
The boy, Zeedabdeen Hadi, was gravely injured when the explosion downed a power line outside his home. It left his face badly disfigured.
Khazaal, an auto body shop worker, lives in Floral Park. He said doctors in Iraq gave the boy no hope for recovery but he persuaded doctors at an American military base to help save his life.
The boy's parents allowed Khazaal to adopt him. Hadi has had dozens of surgeries and is scheduled for another in March.
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USDA photo
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