Dispatch
10/4
OSU FOOTBALL
Buckeye’s family finds storm relief in Columbus
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
While 104,692 fans screamed their way through Ohio State’s victory over Miami University on Sept. 3, three people actually fell asleep in their seats.
As hard as it to imagine dozing off amid bedlam in Ohio Stadium, consider what Younes Abdallah, his wife, Innieh, and daughter, Linda, had been through the previous few days.
The family of OSU defensive lineman Nader Abdallah narrowly escaped the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, leaving New Orleans at the last possible moment.
They took refuge in Houston, then endured a drive to Columbus, arriving the morning of the Miami game.
"We drove 20 hours, got here about 11 o’clock," Younes said. "We got lost for two hours, came to the game about a half-hour after it starts. And you know what? We slept in the game, we went to sleep in our seats. I woke up, looked at my wife, she was sleeping.
"(Fans) probably were like, ‘What’s wrong with these people, sleeping during a game?’ "
At that point, the Abdallahs simply were glad to have a safe place to sleep.
For the past month, the family has been living in Columbusarea hotels, paid for by Ohio State after the NCAA relaxed its rules and allowed schools to help families of student-athletes affected by the hurricane.
"This is the first time I can say I’m happy (about the NCAA)," Nader said with a rueful smile. "There’s always been a thousand rules; now we actually get a little benefit, so that’s good."
He is relaxed now, sitting on a bed across from his parents and sister. He said he gets a good feeling every day after practice, knowing he can spend time with his family.
The search for a better life
The Abdallahs are a close-knit bunch, tied together by their Muslim faith and a strong work ethic.
It starts with Younes, who grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp after the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 displaced his family.
Younes and Innieh lived in a rented house next to the refugee camp while Younes taught physical education, but he wanted a better life for his growing family.
In March 1980, Younes, Innieh and sons Sam and Mazem left the Middle East for the U.S.
"I always had a dream to come to the United States," Younes said, "to have a better future for myself and my family and my children — send them to the best schools."
He settled in New Orleans and opened a grocery store on LaSalle Street. Later, he opened a restaurant nearby.
Nader grew up in the family store (open 24 hours), helping his father and older brothers.
"My father worked from 7 in the morning to 8 at night every day," Nader said. "Sometimes he wouldn’t sleep; he’d go in at 3 in the morning. My mother worked constantly, too, so I’m appreciative of everything they gave us."
The toil was worth it for Younes, who is immensely proud of his children’s accomplishments.
Sam, the oldest, is a partner in the businesses now. Mazem is a recent graduate of Tulane’s law school. Linda earned her finance degree from George Mason University in May.
Staying until the last minute
The family had ridden out hurricanes before and didn’t plan to flee Katrina. The store stayed open the day before it hit, with long lines of fearful customers keeping Younes and Sam busy.
A worried Nader kept calling, urging them to leave. Linda added her voice to her brother’s.
"None of them were going to leave," Linda said. "The next thing, overnight it was a category 5 (storm) and they were talking about having 50,000 body bags ready, and I freaked out.
"And literally, they came home about 5 o’clock and the curfew was 6, after that we couldn’t leave. I had to throw a fit and finally they decided to leave."
With nothing packed, the family drove to Houston, but Sam stayed behind to protect the store. They didn’t hear from him for several days.
When the levees broke, the store flooded, driving Sam to the second floor. After a day or two, he decided to leave, jumping out a window and swimming through the putrid water to safety.
The store is a complete loss. What the flood didn’t destroy, looters did.
The Abdallahs’ home was damaged, but probably is salvageable. But Younes said without financial help, all is lost.
"When the business is gone, that’s the source of income we need to pay our bills," he said. "And if we don’t have a business, most likely we’re going to lose the house, too, unless we get help from the government to build the business again."
Starting over
For now, though, nothing can be done. The family will move from a hotel to an apartment on the Northwest Side while they wait for New Orleans to be cleaned up and they can go home.
They signed a six-month lease. OSU assistant director of compliance Jessica Weber said the NCAA has no limit on dollar amounts or length of time schools can help hurricane victims, "within reason."
She also said private parties are allowed to offer financial assistance, but all money must be funneled through OSU.
Younes said his family is very grateful for the help. But the loss of his business is never far from his thoughts.
"I’ve been working hard for 25 years to establish that business, buy a home, raise a family," he said. "Now I’m a refugee again."
The bright side is that the Abdallahs are getting to see Nader’s games. A redshirt freshman, Nader has played in one of OSU’s four games, recording a tackle.
Nader said he didn’t notice his family sleeping in the stands that first game.
"Every time I looked, they were smiling," he said. "They must have had good dreams."
The dream, Younes said, is to get back to business. At an age when many start to think of retirement, he’s gearing up to start over again.
"I’ve accomplished a lot here," he said. "That’s why I came to this country, to take care of my family. Hopefully, I’ll do it all over again. I think I’m still strong enough."
kgordon@dispatch.com
