Syrian tailor rescues bride's wedding dress days after arriving in Canada as refugee

Rescue: Ibrahim Halil Dudu fixed the dress after moving to Canada four days previously as a refugee
Lindsay Coulter Photography/CTV
Jamie Bullen29 September 2016

A Syrian refugee came to the rescue after a Canadian bride-to-be's wedding dress broke hours before she was due to walk down the aisle.

The zip on Jo Du’s wedding dress broke as she was preparing for her big day at a rented house in Ontario - sparking panic among her bridal party who were unable to fix it.

However, her special occasion was saved when a bridesmaid asked neighbour David Hobson for a pair of pliers.

She was then told that an experienced tailor who fled from war-torn Aleppo had moved in four days before.

Mr Hobson took in a family of Syrian refugees including Ibrahim Halil Dudu, who worked as a tailor in wartorn Aleppo for nearly 30 years, earlier that week.

The family were one of 50 being sponsored to live in Canada by Guelph businessman Jim Estill.

Mr Halil Dudu, who cannot speak English, immediately repaired the dress using his sewing kit the big day went on without a sartorial hitch.

Speaking through a translator, he said: “I was so excited and so happy. I like to help Canadian people from my heart.”

Photos of the impromptu rescue have been shared more than 8,000 times since they were posted on wedding photographer Lindsay Coulter’s Facebook page.

She wrote: “Every weekend I take photos of people on the happiest days of their lives, and today one man who has seen some of the worst things our world has to offer came to the rescue.”

The post triggered a series of feelgood responses as one Syrian wrote: “Reading these kind and heartwarming words prove to me that there are still good hearted humans out there, especially the Canadian community.

One commenter offered Mr Halil Dudu a five thread table sewing machine for free so that he could continue his work in Canada

Groom Earl Lee told CTV Kitchener: “We’re so lucky that happened to us, and so grateful.”

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