Survivor of deadly Beirut blast still picking glass from his wounds one year on

Shady Rizk recalls the day a huge stockpile of chemicals exploded in the Lebanon capital. He was left with life-threatening injuries and is tackling the mental trauma

A Beirut blast survivor has told how for him every day is August 4 as the mental torment remains after the impact left him seriously injured needing 350 stiches and with his eyesight impaired.

For Shady Rizk time has stopped since August 4 last year when a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded in the Lebanese capital’s port opposite his office.

Even now doctor’s are still extracting glass from his body.

And even though many of his scars have now been treated, he is “still healing” both physically and mentally.

“Every day is August 4, every day,” the 36-year-old said.

“Every day, I remember the blast or remember what happened that dreadful day.”

Shady was in the office where he works for an internet provider and was filming the smoke rising from an initial explosion at the port when the second blast hit and left him with life threatening injuries.

The gigantic explosion killed more than 200 people, injured thousands, and destroyed large parts of the city.

Rizk was left needing 350 stitches all over his body and face, and partially impaired his vision.

Now he wants to make a fresh start of his life but away from Beirut where he no longer feels secure.

“I don’t feel safe in my country, this is why I want to leave … this is the hardest decision I took in my life,” Shady said.

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He has now applied for immigration to Canada and plans to be there by October this year but for the time being he still lives at his family house in a Beirut suburb with a view on the port, a daily reminder of his traumatic experience.

For Shady the mental impact of the blast is worse than the physical pain.

“The internal scars are even worse, I may physically heal eventually but psychologically, I don’t know when I will heal,” he said, speaking as he stood in the street of his damaged office facing the port’s wrecked silos.

As Wednesday’s anniversary of the blast nears, Rizk says his “internal angriness” grows, fuelled by the stalling of an investigation into the blast.

He is one of many Lebanese angry at the way no one has been held accountable a year on.

“No one has yet been arrested, no one resigned, no one is in jail … the truth is not yet known,” Rizk said.

Rizk is still unsure of his exact plans on the day of the blast anniversary. He fears it will bring back memories of “indescribable pain” but is certain he wants to be on the streets near the port, expressing his anger.