We are heartbroken to share that Dr. Qusay Hussein Al Mamari—our dear friend, colleague, and a board member with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières in the United States (MSF USA)—passed away on the morning of Saturday, June 14, in Austin, Texas, after a two-year battle with kidney cancer. He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. He was 36 years old. The publication of this tribute was delayed to respect the wishes of the Al Mamari family.
“Qusay’s legacy at Doctors Without Borders includes being a trailblazing former patient and patient counselor, an outspoken voice of conscience on our governance board, and an advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities across the organization,” said Avril Benoît, CEO of MSF USA. “We have lost a great humanitarian whose indomitable spirit and tenacity impressed everyone he met.”
Qusay was born in Abujuna, outside Mosul, in northern Iraq, where he lived with his sister, five brothers, and beloved parents. As a child he helped his family earn an income by selling gasoline across the Mosul Dam and caring for the donkeys that helped them do this treacherous work.
While playing volleyball with his friends in the summer of 2006, Qusay was severely injured in a suicide bombing that shattered his body and took his eyesight. His strength of spirit, generosity, and patience helped him survive—and transformed his life.
Several years after the attack, still struggling with the pain of his injuries, he came across an advertisement for MSF's reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman, Jordan. Accompanied by his father, Qusay spent the next several years with the MSF team in Amman, undergoing multiple reconstructive surgeries and starting the long road to recovery.
Qusay's infectious optimism, love, belief in people, and endless ambition to pursue his dreams made him something of a celebrity among the patients and staff.
“I was part of Qusay’s treatment journey, and he was one of my great mentors,” said Dr. Rasheed Fakhri, MSF’s surgical coordinator in Amman, Jordan. “His spirit, insistence, and insight were our motivation in many difficult times. Today I will even say that his death is another lesson for us: to continue your positive spirit until the last moment of your life.”
During his time at the hospital, he served as a patient counselor and organized outings for fellow patients to sites all over Jordan as part of the healing process. These experiences sparked Qusay’s desire to pursue studies in mental health care and social work.
Open My Eyes
Follow the incredible journey of Qusay Hussein—a young man who barely survived a suicide bombing in Iraq, rebuilt his life at a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Jordan, and is reinventing himself again in America. This short documentary is an intimate portrait of one refugee—one person among millions who’ve surmounted unimaginable obstacles to find safety. It’s a reminder of our shared humanity, and the ripple effects of compassion.
“Qusay was an extra ordinary human," said Dr. Ashraf Albustanji, MSF’s maxillofacial surgeon in Amman. “I don't find a single word to describe his kindness, determination, optimism and love for life. For me he was a living example that human beings can achieve the impossible whatever their circumstances are. He left a legacy for all of us, much bigger than the short life he lived.”
In 2012, Qusay resettled in the US as a refugee and began his life in Austin, Texas. Living alone, he learned English and Braille. He became a motivational speaker and served on the boards of directors of several organizations including Interfaith Action of Central Texas, the Austin chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, and the Texas Association of Blind Students. He was a member of the Advisory Committee for Refugee Services of Texas, where he also worked as a translator for recently arrived refugees.
Qusay earned his GED and then his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Texas at Austin. In May 2025, he fulfilled his dream and a promise to his late parents to pursue a PhD, graduating with a doctorate in social work from UT Austin. The university's Steve Hicks School of Social Work has established the Qusay Hussein Humanitarian Award to be given annually to a graduating student who demonstrates strength of character, resilience, and compassion for others. Earlier this month, Qusay was a recipient of UT’s Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award, which recognizes young alumni who “have made significant achievements in their careers, community, and service to the university.”
Qusay grounded his studies, advocacy work, and mentorship in a deep desire to use his life experiences to support underrepresented communities. This year, Qusay published his memoir, "Can You Open My Eyes?", which details his childhood in Iraq, his time in Amman, and first years in the US.
Qusay remained connected to the MSF community over the years and was elected to MSF USA’s board of directors in 2023, where his perspective and open heart were deeply valued.
"Qusay's loss is an impossible one," said Dr. Rasha Khoury, president of MSF USA's board of directors. "His wisdom, empathy, endless gratitude, drive to give back to society, and perennial hope for humanity were forces we all admired and sought to emulate. His way of connecting people by seeing them and helping them truly see themselves was both humbling and a call to action. His light will not be extinguished."
Qusay was a passionate advocate for the rights of refugees, patients receiving medical care, and people with disabilities. He never let his own physical disabilities limit him, and in fact shared the conviction that they were a source of strength.
“I believe in the power of stories,” he said. “By sharing mine, I hope others can learn, grow, and find strength. Pain is something many of us endure, but how we respond to it varies. Resilience, determination, and finding meaning in suffering can make a difference.”
Qusay inspired all of us to challenge ourselves and he built community everywhere he went. The mark he has left on MSF and the world will not fade.
Learn more about Qusay’s incredible life here >>
