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War approached and Ali Saffah Sr. feared for his children's safety. So he packed up his car, and drove his family to his sister's house, just outside Baghdad. Here he hoped his family would be safe.

They found peace here for a while, but on March 29, all that changed when a missile dropped just down the road, only a few meters from where Suffah's 10-year-old son, Ali Suffah Jr., was playing.

The blast tore through the neighborhood, turning the calm evening into a fury of shrapnel and fire. After a desperate search, the Saffah family found the boy lying in a heap of rubble. From the explosion, Ali Saffah Jr. nearly lost both legs and his right arm. The Saffah family rushed him to a hospital, where medics said he might not make it through the night, much less walk again.

Ali Saffah Jr. is indeed walking again, thanks to the support and concern of coalition forces, who came to the boy's aid after his parents turned there for help.

1st Lt. Jaime Davila, a physician's assistant with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division, is one of the major support providers toward the child's progress.

Ali Saffah Sr, turned to the coalition forces when the Baghdad hospital that cared for his son could no longer help, due to the overwhelming number of patients.

"The hospital could only keep patients for seven days," said Ali Saffah Sr. "We needed more help. We had very little medical supplies, and we were running out. So we took the baby to the Army for help."

The coalition forces were quick to respond to the child's needs. At this time, medics with the 3rd Infantry Division took an interest with the boy and provided medical attention and supplies. The physicians became close with the family, but their time in Baghdad was drawing to an end. The 3rd Infantry Division was going home.

Before leaving Baghdad, the physicians with the 3rd Infantry Division introduced Davila to the Saffah family. Davila had just arrived with the 2-3 FA, and the physicians asked Davila if he would continue to care for the boy after they left. When Davila met with the family, he quickly obliged to help.

"I was very interested in helping the kid," said Davila. "It was the humanitarian thing to do."

Now, after months of support and checking with the family on a regular basis, while helping with medical supplies, medicine, and other necessities, Davila has the pleasure of seeing the boy walk.

"It is rewarding to help him," said Davila. "I saw him today-walking, smiling-that's rewarding."

The younger Saffah's recovery has been painful, and he has met with many hurdles. Finishing school posed one such hurdle. In order for Ali Saffah Jr. to finish the semester, he had to complete a final exam, but this would require the boy's presence. Ali's legs were still healing, however, he couldn't walk.

Davila wanted to help, and he worked with another officer to get the boy a walker.

" We went to a shop that sold medical supplies, and a soldier bought the walker, using money from his own pocket. The family was exited and extremely thankful."

"Davila is a very good help," said Saffah Sr. "He brings medical supplies; he brought a walker so my son could walk; he even brings candy. Each time we see Davila, he asks if he can get us anything."

Davila's kindness has also promoted positive feelings within the community there. Saffah Sr. says the neighborhood is happy knowing that the Army is taking care of the citizens.

"The neighborhood knows what the Army has done," Saffah Sr. said. "And they are very happy when the Army takes care of the citizens.

They say, 'look how the U.S. Army is caring for the children better than Saddam did."

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