Moayad Zaghdani

I spent the night with my friends at Al Garabulli beach. I woke up early for a swim. And when I was out, I was surprised by 64 missed calls from family members. I called my big brother Murad, and he told me to come home immediately.

My name is Moayad Zaghdani. A consultant in media and communication.

I drove my car, and it took 30 minutes to reach my house in Tripoli to be informed that my brother Mohanned had died. He was killed by a random shooting between an armed group while with his friends by the beach of “Sidi Saeed” in Zuwara.

Losing him was - and still is - heartbreaking and shocking to the entire family. We were happy when he visited us after spending 7 years in Spain studying, where he graduated and became a pilot. He was always a source of inspiration and pride for us. Who knew that coming back home to Libya would cost him his life?!

After his death, I lost my passion for life. Everything seemed colourless, purposeless. I didn’t just lose my brother; I lost my companion, the person I confide in all my secrets, my roommate, and my role model. All I had left were the memories we had together. And to overcome the trauma of losing him and avoid missing him, I buried myself in work day and night.

In September 2020, two months after his death, I returned to my favourite hobby, drone photography. I used the drone Mohanned gifted me, worked on crafting my talent, and turned my grief into something meaningful, and it reflected on everything I have taken a picture of.

I am certain that he is now proud of what I have achieved after obtaining a Master’s degree in Media Practice from the UK. I continue to work hard to fulfill our dreams together and to help as many vulnerable people as possible. Despite Libya having let me down and taken away the most precious thing I had, my prayers to Allah are that Libya becomes a country of security and peace, where criminals are held accountable by the law.