Because My Brother Imran Yousef Is An American Hero

Because My Brother Imran Yousef Is An American Hero June 15, 2016

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Back when he was a freshly minted United States Marine. Photo: Courtesy of Imran Yousuf

Another kid from New York was in the nightclub that turned into a killing zone early Sunday morning. His name is Yousef, and he saved a lot of lives.

The Marine Corps Times published his story, but his New York connections are fleshed out in this article by the Times Union, out of Albany. Also, this person is related to me. Have a look,

Imran Yousuf, a bouncer at the Pulse nightclub and a graduate of Niskayuna High School, told CBS News he recognized the sounds of gunfire during Sunday’s attack from his service in Afghanistan.

Yousuf is credited with quickly unlatching a door that allowed 60 to 70 people to escape from a back hallway, CBS News said.Yousuf, 24, served as a Marine in Afghanistan, CBS News reported. Yousuf came back to Schenectady from his hitch with the Marines shortly before Memorial Day, Sherra Johnson, his chemistry teacher said.Johnson recalled when Yousuf interrupted her afternoon chemistry class to catch up about life.

“He walks in with a smile on his face, twirled me around and said, ‘how are you doing?'” Johnson said.The pair had formed a bond during Yousuf’s junior year. Johnson had a brother in the Marines and she and Yousuf spoke throughout the year about the military.

“He never really said why,” Johnson said. “He just wanted to go.”Yousuf told Johnson in May he had just gotten out of the Marines and was moving to Florida with whatever money he had in his pocket.

That was the last Johnson heard about Yousuf, until the day she heard about his heroics in Orlando. She cried then.

Read the whole piece.

CBS News ran his story as well. Roll clip,

Remember the heroes. While you’re at it, just say no to jingoistic, un-American, nonsense like the kind being bandied about by certain political candidates these days. Like me, Yousef is a United States Marine. His life, and his actions, render all arguments to exclude people like him from our nation for what they really are: INVALID.

Semper Fidelis

Photograph from Υ Σ Μ Χ. Find them on Facebook.
Photograph from Υ Σ Μ Χ. Find them on Facebook.

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