18 Mar It’s my brother’s birthday today!

I want to wish my eldest brother, Riadh, a BIG HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY! 🎉🎉🎉

Riadh is older than me by only 14 months. My two other siblings, Faris and Dina, had plans to celebrate Riadh’s milestone birthday together, with all our families. However, COVID-19 had other plans for his big day. I feel so fortunate to be so close with my three amazing siblings – and my parents – who all live close to each other in beautiful, Oakville Ontario.

We all love and adore our eldest brother, Riadh for his unconditional love and loyalty to his family and friends. He truly is one of a kind. Money and titles do not mean much to him. Riadh believes everyone is equal and deserves the same respect and love!

Growing up in Baghdad, Riadh was known to be the quiet, intelligent kid. In high-school I could never understand how he got 100 percent in math, physics and chemistry when he only studied the night before in front of the TV, with his headsets listening to music.

In 1978, Riadh was accepted to medical school in Mosel, Iraq, but my father wanted him and I to have the opportunity to continue our university education in England.
Riadh decided not to go to medical school and chose to study IT (artificial intelligence was his specialty in the early 80s).

However, what has been very important to him for the past 35 years in Canada, is Karate.
He started practicing the art of Karate at age 17 in England, and got his black belt in Toronto in 1996 at the Shepard’s YMCA

Here are some of Riadh’s achievements sent to me by one of his Karate colleagues, Shima. Shima was one of Riadh’s students 25 years ago!

1996: Received black belt & took over as the main kids karate instructor at the Sheppard YMCA
1990s: Provincial champion and competed at a National level representing Ontario; began coaching students (students have gone on to compete for Canada in International events)
2006: GTA YMCA’s Volunteer of the Year Award
2012: Received his 4th Dan.

My entire family is so proud of Riadh and the man he has become in his 60 years of life! I wish you nothing but the best that this life has to offer – you deserve nothing less.
Happy 60th Birthday, Doodoo! I love you – Sincerely, Nunu.