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Watching El Ekhteyar series this Ramadan, we couldn’t hold back our tears as it shed light on the great achievements of our national army in their war against terrorism in Sinai. The series succeeded in reminding us of the honorable men who sacrificed their lives and whose martyrdom didn’t get the much-deserved gratitude and appreciation. Most importantly, the series revealed the true lives of army officers putting their lives at risk while each one of them left behind a family and kids.
Army officers go to work everyday knowing that there’s a possibility they might not return and leaving behind their broken-hearted wives. While these men are considered real heroes who get media attention, their wives and widows are struggling heroines who suffer in silence.
An army wife plays the role of the father as well as the mother while the husband is still alive or even in his death. An army wife constantly misses her husband’s presence in important incidents in her life and never sleeps peacefully knowing that she might wake up to the news of her husband’s injury or martyrdom.
That’s why we were honored to interview one of these heroines, Radwa Magdy, widow of the great martyr Captain Khaled Maghraby, known as ‘Khaled Maghraby Dababa’. Maghraby is one of The Egyptian Thunderbolt Forces’ sons who was martyred in Al Barth Square operation. Unfortunately, a few months after their marriage, Magdy experienced the tragic trauma of losing her husband while being pregnant, leaving her as a single mom.
God chose him for a reason
Photo credit: Khaled Maghraby
“It was extremely difficult at the beginning to bear the fact that my beloved husband was gone. I would sometimes wish I would die, too.” Magdy informed us.
“However, with time, I stared to accept that God put me in this situation for a reason. I owed it to my husband to raise his 24-month-old son to be a great man just like his father.” Magdy told us. “One of the things that really helped me overcome this difficult situation was constantly sharing happy and sad moments with Khaled’s spirit to help feel his presence in every step.”
Giving birth was the hardest moment
Photo credit: Radwa Magdy
“It was very difficult to give birth to my child without Khaled as it was just five months after his martyrdom. However, I felt that his soul was with me during that moment,” Magdy added.
As a single mom, Magdy said that she has faced many difficulties, especially in convincing her parents that it’s better for both her son and herself to live in a separate home. She highlighted that she was very keen to let her son grow in his father’s house as she believes that this is important for both of them to have an independent life and to help shape his character.
My son misses saying the word “papa”
Photo credit: Radwa Magdy
Talking about her child’s unfulfilled needs, Magdy mentioned that the thing she has trouble with the most is her child’s need to say the word ‘papa’. “Being too young, he sometimes says this word to strangers and this breaks my heart.” Magdy added.
Magdy is keen to talk to her son about his father, even at this young age, and let him know that he was a hero. She shows him his pictures and makes him listen to the “Khaled Maghraby Dababa” song. Currently, he knows the song by heart and always hums it.
El Ekhteyar revealed the hidden life of army families
Photo credit: El Ekhteyar Series
Magdy expressed her admiration for El Ekhteyar series and how it shows the tragedy, suffering and hardships of the army officers and their families, instead of always being labeled as corrupted tyrants. “Believe it or not what you see in the series is just 10% of the suffering.” Magdy pointed out.
While nothing will replace what these women lost, we believe that we have a duty to feature their shocking, yet empowering stories to help shed light on their lives.
Rest in peace men of honor.
Further reading: 6 Things You Don’t Know About an Egyptian Army Mom
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