Leaders with Heart

GRATEFUL. COMPASSIONATE. HELPFUL.

Fazl Muradi’s gratefulness abounds. He no longer fears the Taliban or explosions or threats.

Fazlullah (Fazl) Muradi and his wife Aria are among the thousands of Afghans who fled their country following the U.S. military’s evacuation. Today, they live in Tulsa with their son, Arshia, who was born on a military base not long after the couple arrived in the United States.

Fazl and Aria are both college-educated, and he was a translator and interpreter for U.S. military and personnel in Afghanistan.

Today, Fazl works for First Oklahoma Bank as a Vice President and Systems Administrator in the IT department, where he has become an instrumental part of the bank’s team.

Nearly 850 Afghan evacuees have been resettled in the Tulsa area. Fazl is the first Afghan among this group to receive asylum status – a lengthy process that now opens the way for him to apply for a Permanent Resident Card and ultimately U.S. citizenship.

Upon their arrival in Tulsa, he assumed there would be challenges and it would take time to adjust to being in a new environment and culture. When Fazl saw two families waiting to welcome them at the airport, he knew they had come to a place where people cared.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us here in the United States and made us feel at home. I feel I have a bright future right now,” Fazl says. “I can take care of my family … It’s great to be here!”

That thankfulness overflows into wanting to help others. Recently, he hosted a gathering for some Afghans to share lessons he has learned from Americans and talk about his experience with the asylum application process. He and his wife also have helped resettle other Afghans by teaching them how to use an Instant Pot for cooking and working with caseworkers to move furniture and set up apartments for them.

“There is no way to adequately describe Fazl’s journey from Afghanistan to Tulsa – the overall chaos and trauma. However, Fazl has embraced his new life here and wants what every American wants – peace, the opportunity to thrive and the ability to support his family,” says Sue Bennett, Community Outreach Director of First Oklahoma. “He has integrity, an excellent work ethic and professional skills. He looks for opportunities in troubled times, listens and learns from others, and is generous in heart and deeply committed to helping Afghans adapt and integrate into American society. He has a wealth of love and ambition to serve our community.”

Afghans know what it is like to fear for their life every day, says Fazl. When he witnesses negativity, he feels the urge to take positive action. “If I can assist someone and make a positive impact, perhaps they will in turn assist others.”

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Finding the best care for you starts with a conversation between you and an Ascension St. John doctor. What sets us apart is our unrelenting commitment to advanced and highquality care in our community.

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