ST. PETER — A St. Peter family, for years held in the grip of an incurable disease, recently received the good news they’ve been waiting to hear.
Ali and Fartun Abdi soon will be owners of a home designed to make care easier for their children who suffer from a genetic disorder that affects their central nervous systems.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were Wednesday at the Mankato site where their new home will be built through the Habitat for Humanity program.
“We are all very happy,” Ali said Sunday while holding his 12-year-old daughter, Ansal, the first in the family to be diagnosed with a fatal form of leukodystrophy.
Ali and Fartun met in a refugee camp before they came to the United States. Neither has a family history that includes members who suffered from leukodystrophy; however, both carry the gene in their DNA.
The disease has stolen the ability to walk from three of their four daughters. Swallowing is extremely difficult, so they use feeding tubes and require round-the-clock care.
Children’s hospitals or medical research facilities are not places for their girls, the Abdi’s explained to The Free Press in 2021. “We comb their hair, change their diapers, clean them. The best treatment for our daughters is our love and to be with us,” Ali said.
That’s been proven true in the four years since.
“We hold them (their three disabled girls) and keep turning them so they don’t get bed sores,” Ali said.
Ansal let out a laugh as her body was turned around to show her back’s clear complexion. Healthy, clean skin covers her twisted spine.
The Abdi girls are small and not heavy. However, it’s not easy to avoid bumping their fragile limbs on the walls of the rental home’s narrow halls or to keep hold of their unresponsive bodies during bath time in a room that’s not designed for people with disabilities.
Storage space for medicines and medical supplies is minimal and the two-story’s main downstairs area is used as a care command-center and bedroom for the girls.
Plans for the new house — slated for completion in 2026 — were designed by staff at Habitat for Humanity, with input from Ali and Fartun.
“There will be one large bedroom for the girls … and lots of closet space,” said Holly Schettler, community and homemaker outreach worker for Habitat for Humanity’s South Central Office.
Construction Manager Chad Schley said it’s not uncommon for Habitat houses in Minnesota to be designed with occupants’ physical disabilities in mind.
“Every one of our houses is ADA compliant,” he said.
Sweat equity from the future homeowners and the helping hands of volunteers will be required to complete the house in a new addition on the south end of Mankato.
“An 18-member team with She Nailed It! will be helping,” she Abby Van Beek, community and development manager at the local Habitat office.
During the planning stages for his family’s new residence, several staff members have met Ali.
“He is so enjoyable to work with. I’ve never seen him without a smile on his face,” Schley said.
“This family has handled their situation with such grace,” said Karen Allen, administration coordinator.
Schettler said Habitat staff are encouraged to form bonds with future homeowners.
“However with the Abdis, it’s been impossible to not become emotionally involved,” she said.
Schley recalled the day he first met the family during a meeting in their St. Peter home.
“When I left, I broke down. I have a daughter who is the same age as one of their daughters.”
Ali’s career as a truck driver has been put on hold so he can be home with his family. He admits that sometimes, he misses being on the road.
The Adbi’s youngest child, 1-year-old Aisha, has tested positive for leukodystrophy. Thanks to recently approved genetic treatment, she likely will be spared the devastating effects the disease has had on her sisters.
“I go to the University of Minnesota hospital with her once a month,” Ali said.
Still, the Abdis accept their situation and choose to focus on gratitude.
“We want to make sure we say thank you to Habitat for Humanity,” he said.
Mohamed Abdulkadir, director of the Islamic Center in St. Peter and community leader, offered an Islamic prayer prior to the groundbreaking for the home.
“It’s incredible to see how Habitat for Humanity understands that accessible housing isn’t just about shelter — it’s about giving families the foundation they need to build their best lives,” Abdulkadir told The Free Press on Wednesday.
Since the 2021 article, the couple has been reunited with their son, Abdullahi, who had been staying with a grandparent at a refugee camp in Kenya. The 14-year-old does not have the disease.
Abdullahi, who will be a freshman this fall, said that when he’s not in school, he spends his time “hanging with friends” and helping with his siblings by fetching needed items for his parents. He’s also making plans for his bedroom in the new home.
“I am going to paint it blue,” he said using a decisive tone.
Fartun’s new kitchen has a pocket door she will close when she removes her veil to cook — an extra level of privacy when male guests visit.
She’s proud to say her command of the English language is improving and that she recently passed her U.S. citizenship test.
“Now, we are all citizens,” Ali said.