14-year-old wins over Raiders
Ahmed Ali al-Etabbi maneuvered through the tunnel and onto the Coliseum field with crutches to watch pregame warm-ups, his jeans rolled up over his missing right leg. The 14-year-old Iraqi soaked in the atmosphere, dressed head to toe in Raiders silver and black for his first NFL game: Oakland versus the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He had his leg blown off by a suicide bomber in his hometown of Baghdad nearly two years ago and has been in the Bay Area for the past month receiving treatment and getting fitted for a prosthesis that’s being donated. His father died in the blast. “He’s very happy to be here,” said Adli Rasheed, who is sponsoring and hosting the teen while he’s visiting by himself for the medical work. Raiders CEO Amy Trask heard the story of al-Etabbi’s plight — and that he had instantly become a Raiders fan — and quickly went to work to make sure he could attend a game. “You hear people whine about things, but look at his spirit and what he’s gone through,” she said.
