Advertisement Narrator

Ben got some help from a local journalist in Syria named Aroub Hamoud. Aroub posted about Shadi on Facebook groups and made lots of calls. She chased down leads and tried everywhere she could to find the man in the video. And then in February, she got a hit.

So Aroub called him. The man from the video was in another part of Syria. So Aroub set up a call with Suleiman. Suleiman took the call from his house. He sat on his couch and fidgeted with his keys. Umfadi sat across from him.

So Aroub called him. The man from the video was in another part of Syria. So Aroub set up a call with Suleiman. Suleiman took the call from his house. He sat on his couch and fidgeted with his keys. Umfadi sat across from him.

So Aroub called him. The man from the video was in another part of Syria. So Aroub set up a call with Suleiman. Suleiman took the call from his house. He sat on his couch and fidgeted with his keys. Umfadi sat across from him.

The man wasn't shoddy. Suleiman still had questions. How long had he been in prison? The man said, over seven years.

The man wasn't shoddy. Suleiman still had questions. How long had he been in prison? The man said, over seven years.

The man wasn't shoddy. Suleiman still had questions. How long had he been in prison? The man said, over seven years.

I thought you were my son. The man on the call responded, God willing, God willing, you will find him soon. Suleiman asked him some more questions about the sweater he was wearing in the video, the cigarette he was smoking. He also asked him where he's from. And Suleiman again told the man that he really, really thought he was his son.

I thought you were my son. The man on the call responded, God willing, God willing, you will find him soon. Suleiman asked him some more questions about the sweater he was wearing in the video, the cigarette he was smoking. He also asked him where he's from. And Suleiman again told the man that he really, really thought he was his son.

I thought you were my son. The man on the call responded, God willing, God willing, you will find him soon. Suleiman asked him some more questions about the sweater he was wearing in the video, the cigarette he was smoking. He also asked him where he's from. And Suleiman again told the man that he really, really thought he was his son.

God willing, you'll be reunited with him soon." The call ended. Suleiman put down the phone.

God willing, you'll be reunited with him soon." The call ended. Suleiman put down the phone.

God willing, you'll be reunited with him soon." The call ended. Suleiman put down the phone.

Suleiman stared at the ground. He rubbed his face. He said, this means Shadi is dead. Suleiman stared beyond Ben's camera. He repeated out loud that Shadi was gone and whispered a prayer. He rubbed his face again. Umfadi left the room.

Suleiman stared at the ground. He rubbed his face. He said, this means Shadi is dead. Suleiman stared beyond Ben's camera. He repeated out loud that Shadi was gone and whispered a prayer. He rubbed his face again. Umfadi left the room.

Suleiman stared at the ground. He rubbed his face. He said, this means Shadi is dead. Suleiman stared beyond Ben's camera. He repeated out loud that Shadi was gone and whispered a prayer. He rubbed his face again. Umfadi left the room.

Ben learned that Suleiman wasn't the only person who thought the man in the video was their loved one.

Ben learned that Suleiman wasn't the only person who thought the man in the video was their loved one.

Ben learned that Suleiman wasn't the only person who thought the man in the video was their loved one.

That's all for today, Monday, April 28th. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Additional reporting in this episode by Bell Cushing and Aroub Hamoud. Special thanks to Rasha Ali for helping this episode. Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.