Alex Brooker close to tears after meeting children who fled war-torn Syria

10 June 2023 , 18:24

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Alex Brooker visits Syrian refugee 14-year-old Hamza Harb, at the The Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan

Alex Brooker is taking to the pitch this week as part of Soccer Aid for Unicef.

And ahead of the all-star match, the TV star, 39, travelled to the Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan to meet the families who have fled war in Syria.

Once there he met children who are physically disabled, including nine year old Elan - who was born without four fingers on her left hand.

And Alex, who was born with hand and arm deformities and has had one of his legs amputated, told how his struggles pale in comparison with hers.

He said: "It was emotional. We got to see Elan getting a 3D hand thanks to a partnership with Unicef, and I was thinking whether this was for functionality.

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"But for her, she just wanted to feel the same as the other girls. And to me, I know that feeling, and it was emotional to hear.

Alex Brooker sits next to Syrian refugee Elan Al-Nabilsi as she's trying her new prosthetic hand

"I could connect with her on that level. Listening to her as a disabled person, we could talk about something I knew the feeling of, but we're in a refugee camp, and they've gone through so much more.

"I suppose to some people I've gone through a lot, but what I went through is nothing compared to Elan - who was born in the camp.

"I've not been able to stop thinking about her and the other kids I met. What they do to survive every day, I can't imagine the bravery that has taken."

Alex Brooker plays with girls at a playground at the The Zaatari refugee camp

During his trip, Alex visited a fully inclusive playground adapted for children with disabilities - and admitted he was "really taken aback."

He also met a 15 year old boy named Hamzeh and his dad, Ahmed, who are both wheelchair users.

And he went on: "They came over from Syria, and because they are both wheelchair users, Ahmed's wife had to carry both of them over the border.

Alex said he was in tears after meeting with some of the children

"She had given birth less than a month before to their youngest boy. And she's telling this story and you're just like: 'This is astonishing.'

"I loved Hamzeh - I've got a smile on my face just thinking about him. He's into his engineering, and he showed me this bag of stuff - all electrical stuff he's taken apart. He just loves the mechanics of it.

"I kept asking if he can make anything to make my legs go faster at Soccer Aid!

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Alex Brooker plays football with girls at the Makani Center, run by the UNICEF

"This is the thing about the work Unicef does, Hamzeh has obviously got so much talent and maybe with a bit of help that talent could be nurtured.

"He was so passionate about it - the conversation wasn't 'poor me', he was just so excited and curious about life."It was only when I spoke to his parents that I understood just what he had been through - they had to hide in stairwells as bombs dropped.

"But he is not letting trauma define him. And hopefully he can go on and achieve a higher level of education - I really, so desperately hope he can.

"I really think that kid could change the world."

Watch Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2023 on Sunday 11th June at 6.30pm, live and exclusively on ITV1, STV and ITVX. Donations can be made ahead of the match at socceraid.org.uk/donate.

Katie Begley