Patrick Downes and Mohamed El Bachiri on How To Live With Loss: With Love

Survivor Patrick Downes reflects on the year: "I am so proud to be a Bostonian." April 15, 2014.

Survivor Mohamed El Bachiri reflects on his year without his wife. His answer to terrorism is "A Jihad of Love", Dec 12, 2016

His name is Mohamed. He is Muslim. Moroccan origin. Metro driver. Lives in Molenbeek Brussels. Given his name and background, some people might suspect him to be a terrorist. But he is a victim of the Brussels terrorist attacks on March 22nd, 2016. His wife Loubna died when the bombs exploded in the metro, leaving him behind with their three sons aged 10, 8 and 3. He misses her dearly, but he refuses to turn to hate, because that would mean that the terrorist win. So he started his own jihad: a jihad of love.

Mohamed lost his wife in an underground train bombing during the Brussels Terrorist Attacks, on March 22nd earlier this year. Up to that day, Mohamed worked as an underground train driver, but had a day off during the attacks. After all that happened on that day, Mohamed still refuses to carry out any hatred towards Muslims, terrorists, or the Western world. He is convinced that hatred leads to disaster only, and love for those who survived and for each other is the only way forward.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Remember the victims and survivors, and take strength from them. No need to name the killers.

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