Baggio Husidic knows just how excruciating it is to be a refugee – that’s why the LA Galaxy midfielder is lending his voice to those torn from their homes by the war in Syria.
As detailed by the LA Times’ Kevin Baxter earlier this week, Husidic and his family fled the Bosnian War when he was just 7, leaving their home country in the midst of a conflict that killed 100,000 and displaced over 2 million more. After a turbulent stop in Germany, they eventually settled in Chicago, where his parents – college-educated accountants in Bosnia – spent years in low-paying, menial jobs before eventually working their way up to provide Baggio and his brother with a more comfortable life.
“That’s what America is,” Husidic told Baxter. “People start small, and then they end up somewhere.”
Now, Husidic wants Syrian families to have a shot at the same opportunity he and his family received in the 90s. He spoke about that desire and his long road from Bosnia to MLS with Baxter, who penned a revealing feature on the subject on Thursday. Check it out here.
Husidic, who has six appearances and three starts this year, and the Galaxy will play at the New York Red Bulls on Sunday (6 pm ET | FS1 in the US, TSN2 in Canada).
