1988 – 2025
“Do not let your disability stop you from doing what you want to accomplish. Never say, ‘I can’t,’ instead say, ‘I will try.’”
Dr. Qusay Hussein was a beacon of resilience, compassion, and quiet strength. At 17, he survived a suicide bombing in Mosul that left him blind and severely injured. After enduring over 60 reconstructive surgeries, he began a new chapter in the United States—learning English, pursuing education, and becoming a powerful advocate for refugees and people with disabilities.
In May 2025, he earned his PhD in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin, where he inspired countless students, faculty, and community leaders. At graduation, he was recognized with special honors for his extraordinary contributions to the field and to the community.
Through his memoir, Can You Open My Eyes?, and his lifelong service to others, Dr. Qusay leaves behind a legacy of courage and transformation that will continue to uplift future generations.
His body will be transported to his home country (Iraq) where he will be burried.
To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.
Stay tuned for more updates
Welcome
My blog is a testament to my resilience and determination, sharing my journey of overcoming life’s toughest challenges with hope and perseverance
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful "O you who have believed, let no people mock another, perhaps they will be better than them" because we live in a society that loses compassion and humanity, because we We live in a society that holds people...
Migration Mosaic: Experiencing diversity within the refugee camps of Jordan Many people in the world experience the life of a refugee. Recently I traveled to Amman, Jordan to attend the Gilman Foreign Policy Seminar focused on Refugees & Migration. My observations...
Photo credits Alcalde.texasexes.orgQusay Hussein, a blind Iraqi refugee, overcame incredible challenges, including surviving a suicide bombing and enduring years of medical treatment, to earn a degree from the University of Texas at Austin. After relocating to Austin...
In 2012 when I entered my immigration committee, there were seven women and one interpreter. They asked me to which country I would like to go. I told them I do not know, and that I had never traveled besides Jordan, I would love if you choose for me. The woman who...
The transportation system in Austin, Texas is not working as well as it could for blind and visually impaired Austinites. According to a survey done by the National Federation of the Blind in 2016, in Texas there are more than 657,300 blind and visually impaired (BVI)...
By Jessica Brown Qusay Hussein arrived at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City six years ago with no idea how to get where he was going. He had come a long way from his home in the remote desert city of Hatra, Iraq. He was traveling alone with a badge pinned to...
Written by TAMARA KOWALSKI UT Psychology undergraduate Qusay Hussein has been traveling far and wide to share his story of survival with the world and to inspire others. He has traveled to Romania, Iraq, Germany, and across the southern US and DC, giving motivational...
https://youtu.be/Z-Y4oqfEBLk
Hi, Qusay! I am a student in the nursing program at UT and just had the pleasure of hearing you speak to our class. The question you asked about why each of us chose to pursue nursing as a career really got me thinking. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to...
Letter to my mother, August 26, 2018 Today when I heard about you I did not know what to do I felt the entire world stop around me. I don’t know what to say to you No matter how much I could ever thank you, it would seem insignificant compared to everything you gave...