Anna

Yeah. You know, Sumay, I want to change course just a little bit and talk about something that actually wasn't in your Modern Love essay. But when we reached out to you, you told us all about it. And I think it's such an important part of your and Mahmoud's story. You told us that not long after you and Mahmoud had your second kid, you both had to make this really big decision.

Yeah. You know, Sumay, I want to change course just a little bit and talk about something that actually wasn't in your Modern Love essay. But when we reached out to you, you told us all about it. And I think it's such an important part of your and Mahmoud's story. You told us that not long after you and Mahmoud had your second kid, you both had to make this really big decision.

And it was around Mahmoud going to volunteer in Gaza. This is right after the October 7th attacks in 2023, and then the retaliatory strikes that Israel made on Gaza afterwards. There was this international call for aid workers and doctors to come and volunteer and provide care. How did the idea of Mahmoud potentially going to Gaza, how did that first come up between the two of you?

And it was around Mahmoud going to volunteer in Gaza. This is right after the October 7th attacks in 2023, and then the retaliatory strikes that Israel made on Gaza afterwards. There was this international call for aid workers and doctors to come and volunteer and provide care. How did the idea of Mahmoud potentially going to Gaza, how did that first come up between the two of you?

How did he explain to you why it was important to him to go? Like, what was the personal imperative for him there?

How did he explain to you why it was important to him to go? Like, what was the personal imperative for him there?

When Mahmoud told you he was going to go, can you bring me into that moment how you reacted?

When Mahmoud told you he was going to go, can you bring me into that moment how you reacted?

this thing that you love about him his commitment his openness his humanity the fact that he feels so deeply something that is so at the core of your relationship to him his relationship to your kids it kind of supersedes you and your family at this point like you said that you immediately regretted saying it was selfish but how did you make sense of of that

this thing that you love about him his commitment his openness his humanity the fact that he feels so deeply something that is so at the core of your relationship to him his relationship to your kids it kind of supersedes you and your family at this point like you said that you immediately regretted saying it was selfish but how did you make sense of of that

And what is that thing that you had to grow to love that he loves too?

And what is that thing that you had to grow to love that he loves too?

Can you tell me about the day that Mahmoud leaves for Gaza? What was that like?

Can you tell me about the day that Mahmoud leaves for Gaza? What was that like?

What was your communication like with him while he was away?

What was your communication like with him while he was away?

And then maybe about an hour later... How was he processing all of this?

And then maybe about an hour later... How was he processing all of this?

How did you explain his absence to your kids specifically?

How did you explain his absence to your kids specifically?