A Syrian citizen named Abdul Salam Fayez wrote on his Facebook account:
In the Damascus that I love, I parked my car and was away from it for about two hours. When I returned, I found this noble man standing by it.
As I was about to open the door, he approached me and said, “Are you the owner of this car?”
I replied, “Yes, I am. Is everything okay? Did it get a ticket?”
He said, “May God forgive you, man. I’ve been standing here for two hours waiting for the owner of this car because you left the rear window open and there is a bag on the seat. I was afraid someone might come and steal it.”
I said, “I am very, very sorry. I forgot the window was open. I appreciate it, but why did you stay here and trouble yourself?”
He replied, “It is our duty to protect people. I even told my supervisor that I could not leave my position until the owner of the car arrived.”
I thanked him and offered him a small symbolic reward, but he firmly refused and said, “This is my duty (as traffic police officer). It is neither a favor nor a kindness.”
Ahmad Al-Fahl (Abu Adam), one of the sons of the city of Deir Ezzor, my new friend, and a model citizen of the kind Syria needs in these difficult times.
Such humble beginnings. Syrian revolution legend Abdul Basset Sarout passed away 7 years ago on 8 June 2019
8 years prior he was just a football goalie who picked up a megaphone at a protest in Homs. He would go on to lead the battle against Assad there.
انتصر الساروت يوم اختار الوقوف مع شعبه، ويوم مضى شهيداً ثابتاً على عهده، ثم انتصر مرةً ثالثة ورابعة وعاشرة حين انتصرت ثورتنا وثورته
في ذكرى استشهاد الساروت
الذي كان مخرزاً في حلق الأسد، وشوكةً لا تُحتمل في حلق فلوله من بعده.
كم حاولوا تشويه صورته، فزادته الأيام نقاءً.
وكم حاولوا إسكات صوته، فصار صوته نشيد شعبٍ كامل.
وكم حاولوا دفن حكايته، فإذا بها تُروى جيلاً بعد جيل
سلام الله عليك يا باسط..
يوم وُلدت حراً..
ويوم وقفت في وجه الطغيان بكل ما أوتيت من شجاعة..
ويوم ثُرت بكل كيانك من أجل شعبك وأهلك وبلدك..
ويوم اصطفاك الله شهيداً
سلامٌ على ابتسامتك التي لم تنكسر..
وعلى صوتك الذي ما زال يسكن قلوب السوريين،
وعلى عهدك الذي بقي حياً فينا رغم كل السنوات
سلام الله عليك يا باسط في الخالدين