People That Move Us – Mohamed Bzeek

With the start of a new year come the usual resolutions, get organized, get in shape, eat healthier, but what if this year the goal was to be more compassionate? If there is more happiness in giving than receiving, then wouldn’t the key to a happier 2018 be more acts of kindness and generosity? We don’t have to go far to find inspiration, here in Southern California we have found countless women and men making a difference in our community, and one in particular inspires us to be more compassionate: Mohamed Bzeek. For nearly 30 years, Bzeek has been a foster parent for terminally ill children. Opening his home and his heart to one terminally ill child at a time, Bzeek devotes his life to making them know they are cared for and loved.

Like many of the other children he has cared for in the past, his current foster daughter was born with a life-threatening illness and was not expected to live more than a few weeks. Diagnosed with microcephaly, a condition where her brain does not develop, she cannot see or hear and has daily seizures. However thanks to the loving care that Bzeek has show her she is now 7 years old, surpassing the doctors’ expectations. Although being part of the foster care program means Bzeek gets paid for the care he gives, his care for the children goes beyond a full time job. Working closely with our county’s Department of Children and Family Services, Bzeek has become a well known hero. However with over 600 children with severe medical needs, our community needs many more people like Bzeek.