‘My home burned in front of my eyes’
FAISAL Noaman has dedicated his career to helping the homeless, but since his home at the Brunswick Hotel went up in flames the “emotionally broken” social worker has become homeless himself.
On a freezing mid-July night, “Faz” Noaman was standing in his thongs and pyjamas watching his home and workplace of five years disappear.
“There was so much smoke that I could not see the person standing next to me,” he said.
“I saw my home burning in front of my eyes. “It was -1C that night, my feet started turning blue.”
In an instant, Mr Noaman had lost his seven shifts a week as night manager, his valuable belongings, and boxes of beanies, dolls, sweaters and other gifts he had hoped to mail to his wife and three nieces in Pakistan.
The 36-year-old said staff at nearby Banjos Cafe shouted him his favourite spinach and ricotta rolls for breakfast,
but he could barely get the food down.
“I could not feel any sort of flavour; I could not feel anything,” Mr Noaman said.
“When I looked at myself in the mirror in the toilet, my face was literally a grey colour.
“I got scared and rubbed my face with soap two, three times but that grey colour did not go.”
The physical and emotional toll has snowballed.
“My nose starts bleeding if I’m stressed, I have migraines. I’ve never had these things before.
“I don’t know how but my
immune system has weakened.”
The “emotionally broken” Mr Noaman has been seeing a counsellor, but what he needed most was his wife.
“My wife is stuck in Pakistan,” he said.
“I need a shoulder (to cry on) and someone with me to support me. Everyone can be really, really nice … but no one can replace a partner. I talk to her every day on the phone but I need her here.”
Mr Noaman said his work and volunteering at Hobart City Mission and Bethlehem House were keeping him going.
“One positive thing which this fire has given me is more empathy towards the people I work with,” he said.
Mr Noaman stays at a backpacker accommodation, but he has only 10 days left until he has to leave.
Mr Noaman has a desperate request for the Australian government, and for anyone who will listen.
“Please help me with providing or finding a cheap, permanent accommodation in or around Hobart, and please, please exempt my wife to come home.”