Daily Times

A young, pregnant woman from Lebanon fled to the United States – the “Land of Opportunity” – with her husband and family, escaping the horrors of a war-torn homeland. They arrived in America shattered, both emotionally and financially. Struggling to find their footing in a foreign land, they faced a harsh new reality that seemed anything but promising.

One night, the woman had a vivid dream in which she was pregnant with a golden child, a vision that left her both bewildered and conflicted. How could such a dream be true when her family was trapped in the suffocating grip of poverty? The dream felt like a cruel joke, a mockery of her life’s grim circumstances.

Her despair only deepened when her child was born – a boy with a host of physical challenges. He was legally blind, unable to read due to a genetic condition, and flat-footed, which made standing for long periods nearly impossible. As he grew, it became clear he would never become the doctor, engineer, or police officer she once imagined. He could never drive, a freedom most people took for granted. The burden of his limitations weighed heavily on her heart, and she began to question not only her dream but her own worth as a mother.

To add to the family’s misfortune, her husband was betrayed by his own brothers. They robbed him of his hard-earned money, ousted him from their shared business, and reduced him to the role of a mere servant. This betrayal crushed his spirit, leaving the family even more vulnerable.

Amid this sea of despair was their son, a boy whose childhood was stolen by necessity. At the tender age of nine, he took on the grueling job of a paperboy to help his family pay the mounting bills. While other children played, went to the movies, and celebrated birthdays, he worked tirelessly, shouldering burdens far beyond his years. By thirteen, he had added the roles of busboy and waiter to his growing list of jobs. His life was a relentless cycle of labor, leaving little room for school, play, or dreams of his own.

Ali Sobh’s life is more than a story – it is a beacon of hope for anyone facing adversity.

Despite his sacrifices, the boy felt invisible, his efforts unnoticed and uncelebrated. Each day he fought a silent battle against the unfairness of his circumstances, against the weight of expectations he could barely carry. His mother, too, sank deeper into her own disillusionment, convinced that the golden child from her dream was nothing more than a cruel illusion.

And yet, amidst the heartbreak and relentless toil, a quiet resilience began to grow within him – a spark of something extraordinary waiting to be revealed

Despite his hardships, Ali was a spiritual soul. People often remarked that he had the aura of a priest. His calm demeanor and striking good looks made him stand out, even in his difficult circumstances. After years of relentless work, he managed to save $6,000 – a small fortune in his eyes – but he never let his struggles dim his optimism. His handsome features eventually caught the attention of a modeling agency, and for a while, he found fleeting success in the limelight.

At just 19, Ali took a bold step and opened his own business: a small ice cream shop. But his father, forced him instead help him in a restaurant business. He took out a loan by pledging his houseand insisted on becoming Ali’s business partner. Deep down, Ali knew it was a risky decision, but out of respect for his father, he agreed. Within a year, their business failed. They lost everything – the shop, their savings, and even their dreams. The weight of this failure forced Ali to drop out of college. At just 17, he experienced the heartbreak of foreclosure, and his father was crushed under the weight of debt. Poverty, which they had fought so hard to escape, came roaring back into their lives.

To make matters worse, Ali suffered a devastating injury, breaking his leg after a horseback riding accident. Unable to afford proper treatment, he cut off his plaster prematurely, leaving his leg permanently damaged and in chronic pain. Yet, even in the depths of despair, he refused to give up.

Ali returned to work, taking on grueling jobs as a waiter and laborer, carrying heavy loads from shops to carnivals. Just as he began to recover emotionally, another challenge arose. His uncle, who ran a car wash, offered Ali a job, promising to pay him $600 a month for exhausting hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. But this job came with its own humiliations. While Ali toiled tirelessly, his cousin – meant to manage the car wash – enjoyed a life of luxury, flaunting a $60,000 Cadillac and shirking all responsibilities.

Ali’s spirit was tested daily. One particularly painful moment came on his 22nd birthday when he asked for a single day off. His cousin, cold and dismissive, refused. That night, Ali returned home utterly broken. The weight of his struggles became unbearable. For the first time, he seriously considered ending his life. With a gun to his neck, ready to pull the trigger, he decided to say one final goodbye to his mother. It was during that moment of connection that clarity struck. Ali realized he couldn’t let his pain define him. He vowed that within a year, he would turn his life around.

Fueled by sheer determination, Ali worked relentlessly. At 22, he managed to open his own car wash. By 28, he owned six car washes, built from the ground up through his hard work and grit. He married the love of his life and finally began to taste the success he had fought so hard for.

But life had one more cruel twist in store. His uncles, now bankrupt due to poor decisions, came to Ali for help. Despite their past betrayals, he lent them $10,000, trusting in their need. Only later did he discover the bitter truth: they had used his money to open a car wash modeled after his brand, stealing his customized designs and goodwill. The betrayal stung deeply, but Ali chose to rise above it. He had built his empire with integrity and resilience, and no one could take that from him.

When Ali earned his first $100,000, he didn’t splurge on luxury or status. Instead, he bought a truck to support his business, reinvest in his dreams, and expand his operations. Practical and determined, he saved every penny he could, eventually buying out his uncle’s failing car wash. This marked the beginning of a remarkable turnaround – not just for his business, but for his life. The “golden dream” his mother had once seen now seemed to be unfolding before their eyes.

By the age of 35, the boy once dismissed as handicapped had become one of the most successful businessmen in Detroit. His empire had grown to over 40 companies, a testament to his resilience, vision, and relentless drive. Yet, success did not make him complacent. Ali never forgot the education he had been forced to abandon as a young boy. Determined to fulfill that lost dream, he enrolled at the University of Michigan. Despite managing a rapidly expanding business empire, he graduated with straight A’s in every subject, proving that his pursuit of knowledge was as unyielding as his pursuit of success.

Amid his achievements, Ali embarked on a deeply spiritual journey, performing Hajj. This pilgrimage transformed him. The profound experience rekindled his faith and gave him a renewed sense of purpose. In a moment of spiritual clarity, Ali made a solemn contract with God. He gave up the vices he had gradually indulged in and resolved to live a life guided by integrity, humility, and generosity.

As part of his newfound commitment, Ali pledged to donate one-fifth of everything he earned to those in need. This act of devotion wasn’t a fleeting gesture but a lifelong commitment. Millions of dollars now flow each year from his businesses to charities across the United States and his homeland of Lebanon. His contributions support education, orphanages, authentic organizations, and countless individuals in desperate need. Yet, true to his values, Ali never sought recognition for his charity. He believes that giving is an act of faith, not a transaction for applause.

By the age of 45, Ali had achieved a level of success most could only dream of. He owned luxurious villas, a fleet of high-end cars, a collection of wristwatches – the cheapest of which cost $50,000 – his own luxury yachts, and over 40 thriving companies generating millions of dollars every month. From a life of poverty and struggle, Ali had risen to the pinnacle of wealth and achievement.

Yet, despite his immense success, Ali felt a deeper calling. He realized that his journey, marked by adversity, resilience, and faith, held valuable lessons for others. He wanted to inspire struggling men and women around the world to rise above their hardships, to stay connected with Allah, to work hard and smart, and to set goals so high that they not only achieved them but surpassed them. He believed that self-belief, coupled with determination, could turn even the most daunting dreams into reality.

This calling brought him to social media. Determined to share his hard-earned wisdom and life experiences, Ali assembled a team of talented individuals to help him amplify his message. Within just six months, Ali became one of the most influential social media figures in the United States and Lebanon. Posting inspirational videos on Instagram under the username Alisobh_official, he garnered 170,000 followers and over 30 million views in half a year. His powerful, heartfelt videos, rooted in his real-life struggles and triumphs, resonated deeply with his audience.

Ali didn’t stop at Instagram. His videos, brimming with raw emotion and practical advice, reached millions more on TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. His story – of rising from rags to riches with nothing but his mother’s dream and his indomitable spirit – captivated hearts worldwide. Followers flooded his inbox with messages of gratitude, sharing how his words had transformed their lives, helping them to overcome adversity and rekindle their faith in themselves and Allah.

For many, Ali’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and belief. Unlike many millionaires and billionaires born into privilege, Ali had started with nothing but his mother’s vision of a “golden boy.” His rise to success wasn’t handed to him – it was earned, one hard-fought step at a time.

In one particularly emotional conversation, Ali shared his story with me, and tears filled his eyes. He admitted that even now, when he feels overwhelmed by challenges or weighed down by life’s hardships, he turns to his own videos for strength. “I listen to my own words,” he said, his voice trembling, “and they remind me of where I came from and where I’m going. They give me the energy I need to conquer whatever difficulty comes my way.”

Ali Sobh’s life is more than a story – it is a beacon of hope for anyone facing adversity. It is proof that with faith, hard work, and unwavering self-belief, even the most impossible dreams can become a reality.

The writer is a former press secretary to the president; former press minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France and former MD (SRBC).