Jeddah Hero Declines Lavish Gifts, Seeks Recognition for Bravery
JEDDAH – Manea Al-yami, a Saudi citizen hailed for rescuing 21 people during the devastating 2009 Jeddah floods, has revealed he turned down substantial gifts – including nine plots of land and eleven cars – offered in gratitude for his heroism. Al-Yami detailed his decision in a recent video published by Al-Marsad newspaper,emphasizing his desire for recognition rather than material reward.
The floods, triggered by torrential rainfall, caused widespread damage and loss of life in Jeddah.Al-Yami’s actions, spanning from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, involved repeatedly risking his own safety to save those trapped by the rapidly rising waters. While offered numerous tokens of appreciation, he accepted only a single plot of land gifted by Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah. “God Almighty honored me with saving 21 people from the Seoul of jeddah disaster,” Al-Yami stated in the video.
Following the disaster, Al-Yami received accolades from several members of the Saudi royal family. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal dubbed him “the Golden Man,” Prince Muhammad bin Nasser called him ”the impractical man,” and Prince Khalid bin Talal referred to him as “the man of Al-Fazaa” - a term signifying someone who comes to the aid of others. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, then governor of the Najran region, told Al-Yami, “You are our hero, a place of pride and pride for the people of the kingdom.”
Al-Yami’s bravery extends beyond the Jeddah floods. He also participated in the rescue of students during a fire at a school in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, where tragically 15 students perished. He further recounted a daring rescue from a six-story building fire on 60th Street in Makkah, navigating narrow streets and jumping from an adjacent construction site to reach residents trapped inside, remaining with them for nearly an hour and a half. He noted receiving a car from MBC and special recognition from Prince Nayef and Prince Muhammad bin Nayef.
Al-yami expressed his sole wish is to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and receive the King Abdulaziz Medal of the first degree, the kingdom’s highest civilian honor.
