Salem crash reveals Afghan-pilots, story of kindness

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Christmas is a great time to celebrate stories of hope, love and charity among our beautiful Oregon community.

Just a matter of days ago, a small plane that crashed near Independence, southwest of Salem claimed the lives of three Afghan Air Force pilots who fought alongside the U.S. military. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, the three men—Mohammad Hussain Musawi, 35, Mohammad Bashir Safdari, 35, and 29-year-old Ali Jan Ferdawsi left their families and sought refuge in the United States, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. They settled in Oregon in 2022 with help from Salem for Refugees, a nonprofit that assists in finding housing, jobs, and other support. The organization created a GoFundMe page to help support their families and pay for funeral expenses.  That page has raised $50,000!!!    All three men were training to earn their commercial pilot licenses. Musawi was flying the plane when it crashed into power lines and crashed in the Willamette Valley.

One couple who donated $500 left this message:

The plane crash is tragic, but it brings to light a very quiet story on how our nation helps fellow soldiers who fight alongside our American soldiers.   Thousands of such soldiers, interpreters and advisors were never able to escape Afghanistan.   These pilots did, and were able to resume their love of flying by training in Oregon.   The community response of raising $50,000 is also a kindness surprise and a reflection of the awesomeness of Oregonians.

Another local unexpected kindness story this month is how a local TV station, KATU, came to the rescue of three homeless men.

Three homeless men living in a tent near Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge along the Willamette River with their two cats wanted to find temporary shelter or a permanent residence so they could wash their clothes, shower, and more easily find jobs, according to KATU. Before the pandemic, two of the men had cleaned downtown offices but were laid off and couldn’t pay their rent, leaving them on the streets last summer.But when they reached out to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, asking for a spot at a Safe Rest Village or a Temporary Alternative Shelter, but to no avail—at least until they contacted KATU television reporter Angelica Thornton.She contacted the mayor’s office, whose staff promised to find a place for Patrick, James, and Daniel as quickly as possible. Within two days, the trio moved into Clinton Triangle Temporary Alternative Shelter run by Urban Alchemy where they settled into rooms with beds, plumbing, heat, and hot meals.While they could soon move into furnished studio apartments and hope to find jobs, Patrick said it should be easier for people to find help and housing without contacting a news reporter. The shelter, he told Thornton, has given them a second chance.

— Spread Christmas joy by sharing stories of charity and hope this season.

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