TOLLESON — Fahad Al-Kadhim survived capture and torture by Al-Qaeda as a teenager, served as a US military interpreter during combat operations, and immigrated to the United States — and now, he is one step closer to owning his own trucking company.
In 2007, Al-Kadhim was traveling from a vacation in Syria back to Baghdad, Iraq, when Al-Qaeda captured him. He was 17 years old at the time. His parents worked with the US Military, making him a target.
"I thought I'm not going to be alive again," Al Kadhim said.
For three days, he was tortured.
"They beat me up with the cables, I had all kinds of guns to my head," Al Kadhim said.
His family paid thousands in ransom to secure his release, and at times his parents had to listen to his suffering by phone. After he was freed, Al-Kadhim said he chose not to hide — he chose to fight back.
"After I got captured, I thought I'm going to avenge and work with the US Army," Al Kadhim said.
He began the journey to become an interpreter and translator for the US Military, serving during combat operations from 2008 to 2011. He eventually immigrated to the United States, where he continued serving through the National Guard and trained as a CDL truck driver.
On Thursday, Progressive Insurance and its Keys to Progress program awarded Al-Kadhim a 2024 Freightliner truck and $50,000 to help him launch his own trucking company.
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Al-Kadhim, a father expecting his second daughter, said the moment he found out was one he will not forget.
"I look at my wife's face, and she said, we won the truck! And I said, 'no, I won the truck!'" Al Kadhim while he laughed.
Karen Bailow with Progressive said the program is designed to honor veterans like Al Kadhim each year.
"I think about his age when he went through that experience, and the fact that it didn't let him hold him back. It shows perseverance, strength, and it's just remarkable," Bailow said.
Al Kadhim said he hopes to build a successful enough business to put his daughters through college — something he said he could not afford to do for himself — and to hire fellow veterans.
"To payback to another veteran and keep that culture to support one another," Al Kadhim said.
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