DEARBORN — When Dr. Ali Fadel passed away on Friday, Oct. 4, the Arab American community lost a skilled doctor, generous philanthropist and a caring human being, who was a symbol of modesty and benevolence.

Fadel died of a sudden heart attack in Lebanon, while attending the memorial service of his sister, who had died a week prior. He was 60-years-old.

The doctor is remembered by the community as a man who was willing to give all he had to others. He attended to under privileged patients, who did not have health insurance, free of charge, and never turned down anybody, who came knocking at his door. He is survived by his wife Fadwa Bazzi Fadel and children Zahra, Abdelamir, Raef, Hassan and Maaref.

Fadel was born on Sept. 5, 1953. He earned a medical degree from Cairo University in 1980 and moved to Michigan a year later. He has been practicing medicine at the Bingham Medical Center for 28 years, where he tirelessly served the community until his death.

He was laid to rest in his hometown of Kfar Tibneen on Saturday, Oct. 5. His funeral was attended by Lebanese parliament members, judicial officials, community leaders and the people of his hometown.

“The word ‘no’ rarely came out of his mouth. If you sought his help, you were not going to walk away with empty hands,” said Hassan Bazzi of the late doctor.

Dr. Ali Fadel.

Bazzi, who is Fadel’s cousin-in-law, added that the doctor was “considerate and down to earth.”

He said he recently went to Fadel to discuss ways to amplify the Arab community’s presence in Dearborn Heights, through the Dearborn Heights Community Organization, and the doctor pledged his availability, time and resources to the cause. 

“This loss was felt by every household in the community,” Bazzi said. “He contributed to everybody. He even did not want to reveal some of his contributions.”

Khadije, a Dearborn resident, says she met Fadel 15 years ago, when she first came to this country.

“I went to him with a sinus infection. He asked if I had insurance, but I was here on a visiting visa. He prescribed and gave me medication and refused to take money,” she said.

Nadia Bazzi said Fadel attended to her late uncle for free when his Medicaid was cut off. 

“My uncle is now dead, but I do not know what he would’ve done, if it were not for Dr. Fadel,” she said.

Khadije added that the doctor cared for her as a sister, rather than a patient.

“With his sense of humor and charismatic southern (Lebanese) accent, he made you feel like you were at home, not at a medical clinic. He spoke the language of his patients and made them feel better, psychologically, before even giving them medication,” she explained. 

Dr. Raef Fadel, the late doctor’s nephew, echoed Khadije’s comments.

“What stood out about him, as a doctor, is that he did not come off as a physician,” he said. “He had impeccable interpersonal skills and treated people as family, not patients.”

Raef said he looked to his uncle as a role model. 

“He taught me everything I know in medicine,” he added. “He loved patients and treated them with personal care.”

Raef described the late doctor as the “perfect father.” He said Fadel wanted his children to be the best at everything.

Raef practices medicine at Bingham Medical Center. He told The Arab American News that the center will remain open to help the community, as it always has for the past 28 years.

“The clinic is still there. We are still there for the community. People who need care can come to the clinic; the same as when Dr. Fadel was here,” he said.

The clinic is at 13244 W. Warren Ave. in Dearborn. It can be reached at 313-581-4450.

Aside from helping patients, Fadel was active in donating to community organizations, including schools and mosques.

He built a mosque in south Lebanon, in the memory of his parents, and revitalized a religious center, in the memory of his mother-in-law.

The late doctor was one of the founders of the Islamic institute of Knowledge (IIOK). He served as the chairman of the board of the Institute on two separate occasions and was a prominent donor and board member.

According to former chairman and founding board member of the IIOK Moussa Kaddouh, Fadel was one of four personal guarantors on the loan that was used to build the religious center.

“Dr. Ali was one of the pillars of the Islamic Institute of Knowledge. Since day one, he donated a lot of money and contributed to building the Institute’s school and funeral home,” said Kaddouh. “He was generous with his time too. He always made himself available for the Institute and the community.”

Kaddouh added that Fadel was a loving and caring man, who was always ready and motivated to help others.

“He was a social, Islamic and human asset, who will be hard to replace,” he said. “We will miss him dearly in the community.”

Kaddouh, who has been friends with Fadel for 30 years, said he suffered a great personal loss in Fadel’s death.

“He was a true friend,” he added.