Egyptian Doctor Who Cared for Fox News Reporter Vows 'Old Egypt' is Gone

LONDON--WhileIwatchedbackhomeinLondonthemomentouseventsinEgyptlastFriday,myBlackberrypinged.

Themessageseemedtosumupthewholestory.

Itstartedthisway:

"Subject:It'sdone....

DearMr.Palkot,



Whilewehavemetbefore,Idon'tthinkthatyouknowmyname.IamtheorthopedistthatexaminedyouinAl-Demerdash.

Ihopethatyouarenowingoodhealthandthatthatterribleordealishistory.Becausetonightisanightforhistory......"

FollowingtheattackoncameramanOlafWiigandmyself,wewerebroughttotheAl-DemerdashHospitalinCairowhereweweretreatedbydoctors,includingthisman,Al-MoatazBellahYoussef.

Duringourtimethere,theyoungmansaidlittleaboutthepoliticalupheavalbutaskedformycardwithmye-mailaddress.NowIknowwhy.

Inthenextpassagehedescribedhisemotionssurroundingtheregime'sfallandmakesreferencetoJanuary25th,thefirstdayoftheuprisingagainstthegovernment:

"...Ican'texpressmyjoyandecstasyaboutwhathappenedtoday.Iwouldn'thaveimaginedit.Iwastellingmymotheryesterday(thatisThursday,whentherumorswereflyingthatMubarakwillresign)thatIexpectedsomeonetowakemeupandtellmethatwearestillonthe24thofJanuary.

Afterthe25th,Egyptneverwasandneverwillbethesame.Weareinacrossroadsnow,butwehavecomethisfar.Ithinkwecanclearanyobstaclethatgetsintheway...."

AtthehospitalwewereputunderhousearrestandthenbroughttotheheadquartersoftheSecretPoliceforfurther"processing."

Inthenextparagraph,thedoctormakesreferencetothissideofwhathecallsthe"oldEgypt":

"...Youwon'tbeseeingthatoldEgyptagain.Wewillendtheemergencylaw,thedetentioncenters,thetorture,thepolicethugs,everything...

EverybadthingthatMubarakdidtodighisclawsdeeperintopowerwillbeundone.Justprayforus...."

WhilewehadatasteofthebadpeopleoftheMubarakregime,wemetmanymoreofthegoodpeopleofEgypt,includingthisyoungman,whotreateduswithcareandprofessionalism.

Here'showheclosedhismessagetome:



"...Ihopeyoucanreturnsoon.

IhopethatIseeyouagaininthenewEgypt.

Butnotinahospitalthistime!

Regards,


Al-MoatazBellahYoussef"



Ihopesotoo,Moataz.