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Refugee, Dishwasher, Heart Doctor 

After fleeing Syria as a child and living in refugee camps in Germany, I arrived in the US at 18 years old two weeks after 9/11. Ten years later, I graduated from medical school and started training at Emory University, one block away from the restaurant where I used to wash dishes.

​True to the American Dream, I am a heart doctor now, serving the same community that welcomed my family as refugees, and I help recreate that dream for others. Read more about my journey.

My expertise are focused on preventive health,  serving underserved communities, refugee related issues and utilizing artificial intelligence in healthcare. 
Heval was named one of the refugees shaping America by Voice of America. 

"Your resilience and dedication reflect the best of the American spirit. Your experience offers a shining example of the American dream."
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President Obama
Dr. Heval Kelli is the main character of Refuge Documentary that receive numerous national and international awards. 

"REFUGE is a story about fear and love in the American South. A leader in a white nationalist hate group finds healing from the people he once hated - a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. Chris is a husband and father, a veteran, and until recently, a leader in the KKK. He started hating Muslims when the planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11, but is forced to confront his hate when he receives a text from Muslim refugee, Heval. REFUGE illustrates the false promises of hate and reveals where real and lasting refuge is found. Where there is love, there is refuge."
www.refugemovie.com

​I am currently working on memoir of my journey as a Syrian Kurd fleeing my home to living in refugee camps in Germany then arriving to USA as a Muslim refugee two weeks after the 9/11 tragedy. Feel free to provide your email for updates. Here is an insight about my story.




​"You're living proof of the power of inclusion- and how refugees & migrants can be part of the solution."

​The Secretary-General: Antonia Guterres
UN News