The picture that changed the Syrian refugee's life

Modeman, now lives in the suburb of Berlin in a rented apartment. But six years ago, when he arrived in Germany, he lived in a refugee dorm. He has achieved much since then.

I study for the economy. I work at the same time and live with my girlfriend. I hope to receive later German citizenship”, he said.

A celefue that she did with Angela Merkel suddenly made her famous. His image appeared in all German and wider media. A German family immediately contacted him, offering him a place to stay.

The photo I took with the Chancellor means a lot to me. It's much more than a photograph. It's a symbol of Merkel's humanity. She helped me, she saved my life. I will be grateful to her for the rest of my life”, he said. “The picture was proof that Angela Merkel has a big heart, it gave us the opportunity to stay and integrate here”.

But things have not always been good for Modaman since. Following terrorist attacks in Brussels and Berlin, he was targeted as a suspect on many social media sites, forcing him not to leave home.

But despite all stories, Angela Merkel remains his hero.

I'll miss you very much. If I ever met him again, I'd like to thank him for everything he did for me. Thanks to her, I have a life today. I want to meet him and thank him and ask him to take a photo again together”, finish him off.

Angela Merkel completed her mandate as German Chancellor a few weeks ago.