The Refugee and a Grandmother.

October 28, 2025

How a Syrian refugee and a German grandmother became friends.

This is the story of how a Syrian refugee and a German grandmother became friends.

In 2015, Omar Al Shami fled Syria alone. He survived a dangerous boat crossing, finally landing in a quiet town in Germany. Isolated and struggling with the language, he kept to himself — until one day, an elderly woman waved him over.

Her name was Edith, a widowed German in her 80s. She offered him tea. He didn’t speak German, and she knew no Arabic, but they shared smiles, silence, and eventually, simple words. Each week, he returned. She taught him German nouns; he cooked Syrian food for her. They became unlikely friends.

Omar began helping with errands and repairs. Edith knitted him scarves. When he received asylum, she accompanied him to the courthouse like a proud grandmother. “He’s my family now,” she told the clerk.

Today, Omar works as a carpenter. He still visits Edith every Sunday. She makes potatoes. He brings hummus. They argue over how to brew tea. When asked how their friendship began, Edith shrugs: “He needed a home. And so did I.”

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