Israa Seblani

Israa Al Seblani (born 1991) is a Lebanese-American physician and endocrinologist. She is a survivor of the 2020 Beirut explosion that occurred on 4 August 2020. Later that month, a video went viral of Seblani having her bridal portraits taken when the explosion occurred.

Israa Seblani
Born1991
Baalbek, Baalbek-Hermel
Lebanon
Alma materBeirut Arab University
Occupationdoctor
Spouse(s)Ahmad Sbeih (m. 2020)

Biography

Seblani was born in 1991 in Baalbek, Lebanon.[1] She moved to Beirut in September 2009.[1] She moved to Moscow, graduating from a Russian high school in 2010.[1] She returned to Lebanon to attend Beirut Arab University, where she studied medicine.[1] Her sister, Doaa, also attended the university to study dentistry.[1] Seblani interned at Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center in Saïda.[1][2]

In 2013 immigrated to the United States, moving to Michigan City, Indiana.[1] She then moved to Troy, Michigan to complete a residency in endocrinology at a hospital in Detroit.[1][3]

Seblani met Ahmad Sbeih, a businessman who owns two clothing stores, in November 2016 at a Starbucks in Beirut, while she was visiting family.[4] They became engaged on 25 July 2017.[1] She and her husband had been waiting three years to get married, due to protests in Lebanon, the COVID-19 pandemic, and since her husband had been unable to obtain an immigrant visa to leave Lebanon and come to the United States.[5] They had originally wanted to get married in the United States, but chose to have the wedding in Lebanon due to difficulty obtaining a visa for Sbeih.[6] Seblani has been pleading with federal government officials in the United States to speed up her husband's visa.[5] She returned to Lebanon in July 2020 for her wedding.[1][7]

On 4 August 2020, Seblani was posing for bridal portraits outside of Le Grey Hotel in Saifi Village before her wedding.[4][8] During the photoshoot an explosion occurred at the Port of Beirut, less than a mile away from where Seblani was standing.[4][8][9] The explosion, caused by more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 145 people and left over 5,000 people injured.[10][11][12][13] Her videographer, Mamoud Nakid, captured the detonation taking place on camera.[14][3][15][16] Her fiancé, Ahmad Sbeih, had stepped away from the photoshoot to grab waters for her and the photographer.[5] Immediately after the blast, Sbeih ran to retrieve Seblani, taking shelter in a nearby restaurant.[5] The couple sustained no physical injuries from the explosion.[5] After calling her family, Seblani ran out to provide medical care to other victims of the blast.[5][17][18][19] They were married in a ceremony after the explosion.[10][20]

The video of Seblani's photography session during which the explosion occurred became a viral video on the internet.[21][22][23]

Seblani has stated that she loves Lebanon, but feels that after the explosion, living there is not an option due to safety concerns.[17][24][10] She returned to the United States in September 2020.[25] After the explosion, Seblani and her husband have received support in the immigration process from U.S. Senator Gary Peters and U.S. Congresswoman Haley Stevens.[25]

She is a dual citizen of the United States and Lebanon.[26][27]

References
  1. Altatis, Conan (Aug 6, 2020). "Israa Al Seblani biography: 13 things about Beirut blast bride".
  2. "Video: Troy doctor survives Beirut blast as she poses in wedding gown". deadlinedetroit.com.
  3. Specia, Megan (Aug 6, 2020). "'Now You Are Going to Die': Beirut Bride Recounts Moment of Blast" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. Post, Linah Mohammad and Siobhán O'Grady The Washington. "Two couples' wedding photos captured Beirut's devastation. Each brides wondered if the other survived". UnionLeader.com.
  5. "After going viral, the bride from Beirut tells her story". Aug 8, 2020.
  6. "Bride in Beirut wedding photo shoot speaks about explosion". wlox.com.
  7. "Bride in viral Beirut blast video is a Doctor from Troy now struggling to return home". WXYZ. Aug 6, 2020.
  8. credited, Source: As (Aug 5, 2020). "Footage shows moment Beirut explosion hits as bride poses for photographs – video" – via www.theguardian.com.
  9. staff, T. O. I. "Bride recalls moment Beirut blast rocked her wedding shoot: 'I'm losing my life'". timesofisrael.com.
  10. "Beirut bride seen in viral video says she thought she was 'about to die' | CBC Radio". CBC. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  11. "Beirut bride caught in explosion". PerthNow. Aug 6, 2020.
  12. "One moment, they were filming the bride in her wedding dress. Then came the explosion". CNN. |first= missing |last= (help)
  13. Desk, News (Aug 8, 2020). "Bride Isra Seblani recalls horrific scenes of Beirut explosions during photo shoot". Global Village Space.
  14. "Beirut explosion: 'We don't have dreams any more'". Aug 7, 2020 – via www.bbc.com.
  15. Jewell, Bryony (Aug 6, 2020). "Beirut: Who is Dr Israa Seblani? Bride was mid-wedding when explosion went off". HITC.
  16. "Bride 'happy to be alive' after wedding video captures Beirut explosion". wthr.com.
  17. Kanaan, Yara Abi Nader, Alaa (Aug 5, 2020). "Lebanese bride happy to be alive after blast cuts short wedding video" – via www.reuters.com.
  18. "Lebanese bride happy to be alive after blast cuts short wedding video". Aug 6, 2020.
  19. "Beirut Explosion Interrupts Bride's Photoshoot and Leaves 4-Day-Old Baby Fighting For Her Life". Inside Edition. Aug 6, 2020.
  20. "Lebanese bride posing in wedding video escapes deadly blast". NBC News.
  21. "Viral video of bride during Beirut explosion is Detroit medical student". mlive. Aug 6, 2020.
  22. "Deadly Beirut blast sweeps away Lebanese bride posing for wedding day". Daily Sabah. Aug 5, 2020.
  23. "'A lab coat is white, my wedding dress is white:' The woman from a viral video of a bridal shoot interrupted by the Beirut explosion was a doctor who rushed to tend to wounded victims still in her wedding dress". msn.com.
  24. "'Am I going to die?': Lebanese bride's wedding video captures Beirut explosion". Aug 6, 2020 – via www.thehindu.com.
  25. "Troy doctor who survived Beirut blast in wedding dress returns home, awaits husband". FOX 2 Detroit. Sep 18, 2020.
  26. Frere, Eileen (Aug 7, 2020). "'Am I going to die?': Beirut bride recounts horrific moment explosion hit". ABC7 San Francisco.
  27. "Beirut's 'fleeing bride' talks to DW | DW | 06.08.2020". DW.COM.
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