He reached out to a Marine standing on a vehicle, along the barbed-wire fence, and pointed out his baby on the other side. "He told me the only thing he could do was lift her over the barbed wire, but he said she'd be hurt. I told him I'll take the chance. I'd rather her get hurt than die," he said.

The Marine agreed. Hameed helped stabilize the Marine's legs, which allowed him to lean over far enough to grab Liya by her right arm, and lift her over the barbed wire. That was the moment Hameed got to meet his newborn for the first time. He held her for two minutes, before returning to help with the evacuations. Sadia had collapsed from exhaustion, and he still had to figure out how to get her through the gate.

Hameed handed Liya to a Marine, not knowing where she'd be taken or when they'd be able to reunite.

"That day I handed over my baby to a total stranger. The only thing I trusted is that he was a Marine, and that my daughter would be safe," he said.