Parents Learn Their Only Son Sacrificed Himself to Save His Pregnant Girlfriend – Story of the Day

Ahmed takes his atheist fiance to meet his parents and is stunned when they offer him an ultimatum: leave his fiance or be disowned.

Ahmed reached for Rosalie's hand beneath the table and held it tightly. The young couple had just finished a wonderful dinner of kushari with mahalabiya for dessert. Ahmed's parents kept exchanging thoughtful glances, and Ahmed knew they would soon start asking difficult questions.

"So," Baba glanced from Ahmed to Rosalie, "how long have you two been dating now?"

"A little over a year, Baba," Ahmed replied. "Rosalie and I are in some of the same classes at college and we met in a study group."

"That is wonderful," Mama smiled, "but you should've told us before. A year is a long time for young people to be in a relationship without the parents meeting the girl."

"Your mother is right." Baba leaned back in his seat. "There are so many important things we don't know about you, Rosalie."

"I understand, sir." Rosalie smiled. "And I'm happy to answer all the questions you have."

"The most important question must come first." Baba fixed Rosalie with an intense stare. "What religion do you practice?"

Rosalie squeezed Ahmed's hand and he gave her an encouraging nod. This was the moment they'd both dreaded, but maybe it was best to get it out in the open.

"Well, although I respect all religions and religious practices, I am actually an atheist," Rosalie replied.

Baba's eyes widened and Mama pressed a hand to her chest. They looked at each other as though they'd just discovered a rat in the kitchen. Ahmed's heart beat faster and his hands felt sweaty. His parents were not taking this news as well as he'd hoped.

"But you will convert to Islam if you two decide to marry?" Mama asked.

Ahmed cleared his throat, but his voice still came out rough and uncertain when he replied:

"Rosalie and I have already discussed this and we agree it would be disrespectful for her to convert if she does not truly believe in Allah."

"But I am happy to participate in all family traditions and customs," Rosalie continued. "During Ramadan, I also fasted to support—"

"No, no, no, that will not do." Baba shook his head. "How can you perform acts to honor Allah if He is not in your heart?"

"She didn't mean it like that," Ahmed cut in. "She fasted to as a way to share in my experience, to help me."

"And you agreed with this?" Baba glared at Ahmed, ignoring his clarification.

Ahmed suppressed a sigh. He knew his parents had a very different upbringing in Egypt, but they still seemed to have difficulty accepting that life was different in the States.

"Baba, please listen," Ahmed said. "Rosalie might not share our faith but she still honors our practices and supports my beliefs. We respect each other, and love each other deeply despite our differences."

"Maybe you feel that way now, but it will not last." Baba shook his head. "How can you be certain you won't give in to the temptations of this woman's godless ways?"

"Excuse me!" Rosalie's cheeks had turned red with anger. "I may not believe—"

Baba raised his hand. "I was talking to my son, not you. But that disrespectful attitude is another reason why we cannot accept you as a wife for our son. Ahmed, you should break up with her now and find a more suitable woman."

"No." Ahmed stood. "I didn't want to tell you this yet, but Rosalie and I are already engaged. We’ve also been living together for the past few months."

Chaos erupted after Ahmed's announcement. Baba shouted; Mama and Rosalie both ended up in tears, and Ahmed felt helpless to do anything to diffuse the situation. When he ushered Rosalie out of the dining room, the argument followed them.

"I will cut you off if you do not leave this woman." Baba jabbed his finger in the air as he followed them down the hall.

"I will not give you any more financial support, and I will no longer acknowledge you as my son."

"Then I will pray for Allah to forgive us both because I'm not going to obey your wishes." Ahmed opened the front door for Rosalie.

"You'll regret this," Baba shouted behind them as they hurried to Ahmed's car.

Ahmed turned to look his father in the eyes. "When you love someone, you don't regret anything."

A few months later, Ahmed had to admit that life was very difficult without his parents’ financial support. He was falling behind on tuition payments, and no matter how hard he tried to find a solution to his money problems, nothing seemed to work out. He was getting desperate.

On Rosalie’s birthday, Ahmed picked a handful of flowers from a public park and brought them home for her. He’d tried to stay cheerful the past few weeks, but it seemed he hadn’t fooled Rosalie.

“Are you ever going to tell me what’s troubling you?” Rosalie asked as she joined Ahmed on the sofa.

Ahmed sighed. “I can’t afford to stay in med school anymore and I don’t know what to do.”

The couple sat in silence until Rosalie stood up suddenly. She turned to face Ahmed with a stern expression and pointed at the front door.

“Get out, Ahmed,” Rosalie snapped. “If you’re dropping out of college then I don’t want to marry you anymore. I’m not interested in a man without any prospects for his future.”

“You can’t mean that, Rosalie!” Ahmed sprang to his feet.

“I do,” Rosalie crossed her arms and turned away from him. “You’d better go crawling back to your parents because I’m going to throw all your stuff out into the trash and change the locks on the doors if you aren’t out of here by tonight.”

Ahmed stared at Rosalie. His body felt numb from shock. He couldn’t believe she was kicking him out and breaking off their engagement after everything he’d sacrificed for her! He thought she loved him. How could he have been so wrong?

“Would you just leave already?” Rosalie said.

Ahmed hesitated, stuck between doing what she asked and listening to the little voice in the back of his mind that told him this was not right.

The Rosalie he knew would never do this to him. Ahmed circled around to meet Rosalie’s gaze, but she wouldn’t look at him. He understood everything when he noticed the tears pouring down her cheeks.

“Listen to me, Rosalie.” Ahmed put his fingers beneath Rosalie’s chin and looked into her eyes. “I don’t care about my future if you’re not a part of it. I would never leave you for my parents’ money.”

Rosalie broke down into sobs. “But this is all my fault. If it weren’t for me, your parents would still be paying your tuition.”

“Don’t blame yourself, my love.” Ahmed kissed Rosalie’s hand. “My parents made the choice to stop supporting me, and honestly, I think it might be for the best in the long run. It’s hard now, but I’d rather be suffering like this with you than be beholden to their money for the rest of my life.”

“But what about your dream of being a pediatrician?”

Ahmed shrugged. “It will have to be delayed, that’s all.”

Ahmed dropped out of college a few days later, and found a job within the month. It wasn’t a high-paying job, but Rosalie was also working part-time while she completed her degree. The young couple lived a modest lifestyle, but they were very happy.

Every weekend, Rosalie and Ahmed volunteered at a soup kitchen run by their neighborhood mosque. On one visit, Ahmed heard from a family friend that his parents were shocked by the news that he had dropped out of college.

Ahmed just shrugged. "They must follow their path, and I must follow mine."

During the first days of Spring, Ahmed waited outside the courthouse for his parents. He’d told them he and Rosalie were getting married today. They hadn’t replied to his invitation to attend, but he still hoped they’d be there.

His heart leaped into his chest when he saw a familiar figure appear through the crowd. Ahmed waved, and hurried to meet his mother.

“Mama! I’m so glad you—”

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Mama interrupted him. “The only reason I’m here is to offer you one last chance to stop this foolishness. Break off your relationship with Rosalie and come home with me. Your father and I will forgive you if you do this.”

Ahmed shook his head and stepped back. “I can’t believe you came all this way just to tell me that you still won’t accept the woman I love.”

“What do you expect?” Mama pointed toward the courthouse.

“Look where you’re planning to marry! Even if Rosalie converted it would be better. How do you expect us to honor a marriage when you haven’t followed tradition and can’t be married by an Imam?”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mama, but I’m still going to marry Rosalie.”

Ahmed walked away from his mom and into the courthouse, where his bride was waiting. He didn’t tell Rosalie about the confrontation with his mom until they had a moment alone during the reception.

"I'm sure they'll come around one day," Rosalie whispered to him. "They're your parents, after all, and they love you very much."

"I hope so,” Ahmed replied.

Rosalie kissed him on the cheek. "They love you, and love will always win."

Married life went smoothly for Ahmed and Rosalie. When Ahmed got up to perform fajr, Rosalie made coffee and breakfast. They left home together, and in the evening, Ahmed waited for Rosalie outside her work so they could walk home together.

One day, Ahmed was shocked to see Rosalie shuffle out of work looking terrible. He rushed to meet her and put his arm around her waist.

"That hurts," Rosalie winced, pushing his hand away from her side.

"Does it hurt anywhere else?" Ahmed asked as he pressed his fingers to her neck to feel for swollen glands.

"Not really. I'm kinda nauseous though."

Ahmed realized what was wrong with Rosalie the moment he looked into her eyes. He might not have completed medical school, but he immediately recognized the signs of jaundice. This combined with her nausea and the pain in her side prompted a burst of anxiety.

"We have to get you to the hospital immediately," Ahmed said.

Ahmed tapped his foot against the floor and wrung his hands while he waited for the doctor to finish examining Rosalie. He couldn’t understand what was taking so long, and the longer he waited the more worried he became. The moment the doctor appeared in the doorway, Ahmed hurried to meet him.

"I'm sorry to tell you that your wife's condition is very serious," the doctor said. "She has liver failure, and unfortunately, her pregnancy complicates things."

"Pregnancy?" Ahmed's jaw dropped. "We're going to have a baby?"

The doctor frowned. "Sir, we're going to do our best to save your wife and your unborn child, but I need you to understand the severity of this situation."

"We need to diagnose what's causing her liver failure quickly, and pregnancy can complicate this process. Additionally, I'm sorry to tell you that the odds of the child surviving are not great."

Ahmed felt numb. He collapsed into the seat he'd recently vacated and tried to make sense of the doctor's words. Medically, he understood what the man was telling him, but emotionally...this couldn't be real. He couldn't lose Rosalie or his child.

"What can you do for her, for them, to treat this in the meanwhile?" Ahmed asked.

Ahmed listened closely as the doctor outlined various options, but none gave him the hope he craved.

"Her best option may be a liver transplant," the doctor concluded, "but the chances of the baby surviving the procedure are low. I'm sorry, sir, but it's highly unlikely they'll both make it through this."

Ahmed discussed the details of getting a liver transplant for Rosalie with the doctor. Once he found out about the costs involved, he left the hospital in a hurry. He rushed to the bank, but they refused to give him a loan for the transplant.

Ahmed left the bank in tears. He stood on the steps, oblivious to the people who knocked into him or swore at him for being in the way. What was he going to do? He refused to let Rosalie die. He had to get the money somehow.

An idea struck him. It was a long shot, but Ahmed was desperate enough to try anything. He raced down to the street, hailed a cab, and prayed for the duration of the time it took the taxi to deliver him to his parent's house.

Ahmed's mind whirled as he walked up the stone path to his parents' front door. He thought of all the ways he could phrase his plea that might compel them to help Rosalie, but dismissed them all.

"Isn't it enough to help a person in need?" Ahmed muttered as he rang the doorbell. "Isn't it enough to help your only son?"

"Have you finally come to your senses?" Baba said when he opened the door.

"I need your help, Baba," Ahmed replied. "Please, can I come in?"

Ahmed sat down with his father in the sitting room and told him about Rosalie's illness. When he finished, he begged his father to loan him the money to pay for the liver transplant she needed.

"I will pay you back, even if it takes the rest of my life, please just help me save my wife."

Baba slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ahmed, but I will not help you. You have been a bad son and have been living a lifestyle that goes against your parents' wishes. You chose this path for yourself, and so you cannot expect help from me when you face the punishment for your bad choices."

"How can you be so cold-hearted and irrational?" Ahmed reached out to his father pleadingly. "Please, Baba. There is nobody else who can help me. If you won't do it for me, or Rosalie, then won't you do it for our child?"

Baba stared at Ahmed for a long time before he shook his head. "This child will never be a good Muslim if they're raised in a household like yours."

Ahmed had never felt so lost or so powerless in all his life. He might've married an atheist, but he'd continued practicing his faith precisely the way he had before marrying Rosalie.

He refused to accept his father's belief that Rosalie's sickness was a form of punishment. He stormed from the sitting room and slammed the door behind him.

“Ahmed, wait,” Mama whispered.

Ahmed turned around to see his mother standing at the foot of the stairs. She glanced toward the sitting room door as she beckoned him closer.

“This is for my personal savings account. I want you to take the money in it and put it towards Rosalie’s surgery. It’s not very much, but it should help.” Mama pressed a bank card into his hand and closed his fingers around it.

Ahmed hugged his mother. “Thank you, Mama!”

Mama shushed Ahmed and gestured for him to leave. “Don’t speak a word of this to your father,” she said.

A few days later, Ahmed's heart was at peace while a nurse wheeled him to the surgical theater. Mama’s money from her savings account was barely enough to cover the doctor’s surgical fees. To expedite the process and save on costs, Ahmed was about to undergo surgery to donate a section of his liver to Rosalie.

"Are you sure about this?" The doctor asked once Ahmed reached the theater.

"Of course I am." Ahmed smiled.

"I can't wait to get back to Rosalie and see her finally start getting better. We've already been through so much to be together. There's nothing I wouldn't give her to ensure we can continue to live the rest of our lives together."

The doctor nodded. "I thought you'd say that, but I have to ask. The anesthetist will start soon."

Ahmed shut his eyes. "I am ready."

While he slipped into sleep, Ahmed thought of Rosalie's bright smile and the way she pouted whenever she was thinking deeply about something. He thought of their future children too, and wondered if they would take after him, or their mother.

"...I wish to extend my condolences to your family."

Sayed's throat felt tight as he replied to the Imam. He ended the call and turned to find his wife, Fatma, standing near the door. She knew something was wrong, he could see it in her eyes.

"Our son, Ahmed..." The rest of his words were lost as he burst into tears.

Fatma came to him and eventually, he managed to tell her that Ahmed underwent surgery to donate part of his liver to Rosalie, and died during the procedure.

"The Imam said the community raised the money to help them." Sayed frowned. "Apparently our son did stay true to Allah."

Fatma cupped Sayed's cheek with her hand. "Then maybe we should accept that it was Allah's will that our son married Rosalie."

"Maybe. I will leave in a few minutes to help with the arrangements," Sayed said as he broke away from Fatma.

Fatma nodded. "And I will go to see Rosalie."

A few months later, Sayed and Fatma stood in the hot sun outside the hospital entrance. They'd been waiting for over an hour, but their patience was about to be rewarded.

Rosalie frowned and cocked her head when she saw the couple. She hugged her baby close to her and waited in the shade while Sayed and Fatma approached.

"What are you doing here?" Rosalie asked.

"We want to ask you to live with us, Rosalie," Sayed said.

"It is difficult to care for a newborn, especially a premature baby," Fatma added.

"And you are still regaining your strength and health. We want to help you, the way family is supposed to help each other."

"Family?" Tears welled up in Rosalie's eyes.

Fatma nodded. "We cannot change the bad things that happened in the past, but Sayed and I hope we can honor Ahmed and create a better future for our grandson by inviting to into our family now. Please accept, Rosalie."

Rosalie peered down at the baby in her arms and nodded. "Mashallah. I think my baby Ahmed would like this arrangement."

What can we learn from this story?

• You can’t design your children’s lives. No matter what you may believe is the best path for your children to follow, all parents must ultimately accept their childrens’ life choices.
• Health is more important than money. Unfortunately, good healthcare can be prohibitively expensive, but we should always be willing to stand together as a community to help those in need.

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