St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Letter: Rep. Wagner, law firm combine to help Afghan family

Regarding "Desperation drives thousands of Afghans a day across borders" (Dec. 70): Since August, my first cousin and his five kids were in danger in Afghanistan. I was in constant communication with him, exploring ways to get him and his family safely away from the Taliban.

I am fortunate enough to work for the Thomson Coburn law firm, which quickly assisted me in reaching out to Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, to help with their evacuation. Wagner's office worked diligently with the State Department on this. The evacuation process took a few months, but my cousin and his family were successfully evacuated at the end of November. They are currently residing in another country while they await the next steps of their immigration process.

Although not all members of my family were able to escape from Afghanistan, I am grateful for those who have. It is truly a joy knowing that my cousin's family will now have a brighter future. None of this would have been possible without the help of everyone involved.

Ahmad Anwar • Manchester