Road to Recovery—Syde Kidwai

Road to Recovery

Syde Kidwai

Syde was born with a “silver spoon in his mouth”; pampered by servants, attending private schools and being loved by an extended family, that all came crashing down when his father passed away. Syde’s world changed forever. Family finances dwindled and he being the eldest in a family of 5, forced him to leave Pakistan and find meaningful work. As an economic refugee at the age of 16, he knows what it is like to overcome obstacles in life. He is presently recovering from a stroke that left him helpless. He was unable to eat, swallow or see but he is now relearning how to walk. It has been a long journey, but his story began many years ago from where he is today at 70 years of age.

With 300 rupees his mother had given him, Syde boarded a bus with five others. They were told to dress well and take a suitcase. In the middle of the night on a deserted highway, the bus broke down. Over the course of weeks, Syde and his group traveled to Kabul, Istanbul, Iraq and eventually managed to get to Germany via buses and trains but their funds were depleted. There were many days with little food, sleeping on park benches in the cold and little work. Thankfully there were compassionate bosses that spoke a little English.

Syde remembers one time when he was finally chosen to work. He was a tall, skinny young man and able to work at the vegetable and fruit market. He had to load onions that weighed 50 pounds – half his body weight. There were other manual labour jobs, and he eventually made some money that he used to buy food to help feed others who were in the same situation he was in – a generous spirit.

Generosity was what endeared him to his wife. When he was 34 years old he knew she was the woman for him. After taking her on a tour of Banff, she asked him if she could give money to a homeless man. That’s when he knew she was for him. After an arranged, chaperoned date, a marriage and two sons, they have been together for 36 years now.

Syde is sorry for the young people during this pandemic. He talks with the nurses at his recovery centre and knows they have a special heart for dealing with patients. He is sad that he cannot do many of the things he used to do, but he tries to keep a positive outlook. Syde is a successful business man who has always been motivated to work hard. He is known for his generosity in the community and from his past experiences, he is determined to succeed. He tells me he has a soft spot for refugees. He will continue to receive therapy to improve his health and once again get back on his feet. Many wish him well.