Kahsay is 42 years old. Before the start of the war on Tigray, Kahsay owned a house, 5 hectares of land, 38 sheep and 40 goats. Kahsay had a car accident four month earlier than the start of the war which left his right upper and lower extremity paralyzed. His wife and their 6 children went to Adigrat to visit family before the start of the war.
In the morning of November 9, 2020, Kahsay and his friend had a plan to go to their farm and they were about to have breakfast when shelling of the city of Humera started from Omhajer, Eritrean side. Kahsay together with his friend and other residents of the city, started fleeing to Hamdayt. On the way, his friend got killed from the shelling.
Kahsay is a known diabetes patient, on insulin for about 8 years. He injured his feet (the damage was more to the left side) after his shoes got torn. They reached Hamdayt on the same day. After two weeks, Kahsay returned to Humera, only to find out every belonging he had was looted by Amhara militia. The sheep, the goats were all taken, and his sorghum was also harvested by them.
His home was occupied the Amhara these militia. Kahsay, had to ask his neighbors for shelter. He stayed for about 3 weeks there. During this time, his injured feet showed no signs of healing. He had to seek medical help. Since the road to Mekelle was blocked by troops, he had to travel through Gonder, Weldia long road, arriving at Mekelle after 37 days of his injury. He was admitted to Ayder Referral Hospital on January 15, 2021.
His right foot and right leg were unsalvageable when he arrived and above knee amputation was done as a result. He was discharged, but one day after his discharge he started to experience symptoms of COVID-19 and was readmitted back. Since there were no diagnostic modalities for COVID-19 back then, he was treated empirically. He improved and is currently stable, but he remains bedridden and lives in one of the IDP sites in Mekelle.
