Khaberni - Leading social media, the Egyptian teenager Jalal Magdi Shelil, 18 years old from Kafr El-Sheikh in northern Egypt, after setting a unique example of self-respect, rejected generous offers to cover his medical expenses from businessmen and doctors, preferring to spend on a delicate surgery on his eye from his daily earnings as a painter.
The story of Jalal, belonging to a simple family in a village in Hamoul center, began with a spontaneous appearance in a video filmed by one of his colleagues, while he was having a lunch that cost no more than 10 Egyptian pounds consisting of "bread and baba ghanoush".
The video, which quickly spread, revealed the reason behind this forced austerity, which is the young man’s desire to save his daily earnings of 300 pounds to accumulate 150,000 pounds needed for a surgery to save his eye from retinal detachment and severe bleeding, which he previously suffered while working as a carpenter.
Jalal, who left commercial secondary education despite his excellence to help his father in supporting his five siblings, confirmed that he has undergone 4 surgical operations since 2021, but they were not successful, although he is still clinging to hope in the fifth operation.
After the video went viral, many prominent businessmen, including Ahmed Abu Hashima and Essam Al-Arjani, as well as a group of ophthalmologists, rushed to offer help and cover all the expenses of the operation and provide job opportunities for him.
However, the surprise was in the young man's reaction, who outright rejected these offers, affirming that he did not film the video to beg for sympathy, but to clarify his point of view to those who accused him of being stingy, because of the lunch that cost only 10 pounds, emphasizing his desire to see the fruits of his labor and hardship with his own eyes.
On his part, Jalal's father, Magdi Shelil, shared touching details about the behind-the-scenes of his son traveling to Cairo to work without his knowledge, fleeing from the bullying by some due to his eye injury.
The father said in his statements: "At first, I was angry at the video, thinking that my son was asking people for money, but when I listened to him, my eyes teared up with pride... Jalal took responsibility while he was still a child, and taught me the meaning of honor and self-reliance."
The reaction of the Egyptian teenager received wide interaction, topping social media platforms and the talk of the Egyptian street, not only because of his painful injury, but also for his ability to say "no" at a time when his need is great, affirming that dignity is priceless.
