Unbreakable, by Hashem Shakeri - Invisible Photographer Asia (IPA)

Madi’s (my grandmother) life was full of sorrow and happiness with struggles, ups and downs. At younger age she lost two of her children, got separated from her husband who rarely shared a life with her. Soon after he passed away and left her with two daughters.

After the death of her husband, his family forbade Madi from the wealth, so she inherited nothing and was left alone in this strange world. With all the difficulties of life, Madi managed to live her life with love and hope, she got through the difficulties of life and brought up her children with dignity. As getting older, at the age of 78, she sold her only apartment to help her daughters to buy two smaller apartments and moved in with one of them in Tehran.

Unfortunately after few years, at the age of 84 (year 2007), she had a hemorrhagic stroke and lost the ability of speaking, reading and writing. In the past years she had few more strokes. Now and then she still gets attacks but with her strong will and belief she keeps on fighting with this illness trying not to depend on others and moves forward to postpone death by living. It is amazing of her; she has created a language which is comprehensive and easy to understand, in order to keep on communicating with the family and making life simpler for them.

Now Madi at the age of 90 with positive energy and inspiration teaches her family lessons of hope and life. Yet this story took more than five years of photographic work since the start of Madi’s brain stroke. During the whole time the only motive of the photographer was the exceptional character, unbreakable spirit, hope and strong belief of this lady, who in the eye of her family is the symbol of love, life and hope.