Heroes Among Us: Suluki Qadree Qawiy

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Suluki Qadree Qawiy joined the military just after high school and learned many lessons about humanity and life along the way.

“Everybody all over the world all laugh and cry the same,” said Qadree Qawiy. “We’re the same under one umbrella, and that’s a human family. Everything else was made up by someone else. You can learn a lesson by treating people like you want to be treated.”

Qadree Qawiy is a bright, kind and resilient soul who majored in psychology at Albany State University (ASU).

“I played football at Albany State and graduated there where I met my wife and we’ve been married for 52 years,” he said. “And I did just about everything; the drum major at Albany State where my brother was in charge of the music.”

Music is something that has helped him dance through life.

“That’s one thing that the human family, all of us, agree with. We all pat our feet and pop our fingers to music. And it doesn’t matter where we are. At baseball games, football games. We forget about race and everybody is one.”

After serving in the Vietnam War, he was sent to the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany.

Now retired, Qadree Qawiy still lives in South Georgia. He not only cares for his family, but he also volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club of Albany.

He gave a piece of advice to those who look up to him.

“I believe every man should experience service for a little while,” he said. “And that could change their whole life. If you just stay in one place a long time and don’t have the experience of going to places outside of the U.S., you’ll see people are the same. When they’re sad they cry the same. When they’re happy they laugh the same. But both of them bring tears. Tears of sadness and happiness.”

Qadree Qawiy says he volunteered for the service only two days after graduating high school.

His life, full of triumphs and hardships, makes him who he is today.

“When I was wounded three of four times in Vietnam, laying there makes you think about the gift God gave you,” he said. “It’s very precious and you shouldn’t ever take it for granted.”

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