Palm Springs – Less than a week after a bomb explosion directed almost destroyed its fertility clinic, Dr. Maher Abdallah stopped under the ardent sun of the desert against a liquor store, its windows exploded by the powerful explosion. Behind him was what was left of the American reproductive centers.
The clinic, the only full service fertility center in the Coachella Valley and the IVF Laboratory, according to its website, had been relegated to a crime scene. The four buildings must be demolished and replaced, a process that could take up to two years, he said. Even so, it ruled out destruction as “material loss.”
In what Abdallah described as a series of miracles, no one was in the clinic last Saturday morning and his in vitro fertilization laboratory remained intact despite the powerful strength of the explosion. The attack knocked out the electricity that promoted the incubators of the installation and damaged the backup generator, but emergency responders rushed to address the interruption and ensure that the thousands of frozen eggs, sperm and embryos stored in cryogenic tanks were not damaged.
He later learned that of the 14 embryos that were divided into incubators at the time of the attack, all belonging to a same -sex couple, eight had become “perfect blastocystos”, or cell balls that form early in pregnancy.
The explosion of the Pump on Saturday in Palm Springs caused large portions of the installation of the American players centers to collapse.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“My return on investment is babies,” said Abdallah, whose clinic claims to have helped more than 2,000 couples to grow their families, many of them in the LGBTQ+ community of the region. “Life is preserved, and that is really everything that matters to me.”
The bomb that detonated at the fertility clinic in this city of the resort last Saturday wounded four people and killed the alleged bomber, a 25 -year -old type, Edward Bartkus, who lived one hour away in Las Palmas de Twentynine. The FBI has described the incident as domestic terrorism.
The researchers of the FBI case, as well as the sources of application of the law, characterize that Bartkus has “antinatalist” ideations, a conclusion extracted from publications on social networks and other online material authorities have linked it. In these public publications, he argued that procreation without the consent of unborn is not very ethical and unjustifiable in a world that fights with environmental damage, violence and overpopulation. In addition, the publications indicate that it was mourning for the recent death of a friend.
A website that the authorities link Bartkus present the case of “a war against the pro-life” and said that a fertility clinic would be objective. “Basically, I am pro -mortalist,” the author wrote, referring to a marginal philosophical position that it is better that the sentient beings die as soon as possible to avoid future suffering.
At a press conference on Thursday, Abdallah told the multitude of officials and local reporters gathered that forgave the suspect and had instructed his staff to not talk about him.
When asked about the ideology of the bomber, Abdallah simply said he was “for life” and that he didn't mind enduring. The only reference to the suspect wine from Abdallah's business partner, who said that the doctor had requested that he communicated with Bartkus's family and offered to pay his funeral services.
The remains of the automobile used in the pump attack on Saturday are in a twisted battery outside the US reproduction centers in Palm Springs.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Instead, Abdallah said he has focused his focus on the future. A few days after the bombing, the clinic was offering basic ultrasound in another medical office. Next week, the US reproduction centers will temporarily move to a surgical center on the other side of the street.
Abdallah promised to rebuild the clinic in the same place at Uptown Palm Springs, in front of the local hospital. The installation was well secured, he said, with cameras in each corner and in front of the chain cryogenic team. But in the future, he said, he also wants the guards to patrol the facilities.
“We will rebuild, grow and continue to help families grow too,” said Abdallah's cousin and trading partner, Amer Abdallah. “We believe in miracles. We witness them every day. And no act of hate can prevent us from bringing those miracles to this world.”
The mayor of Palm Springs, Ron Deharte, said that the city is working to bring “all possible resources” to residents and small businesses affected by the attack with bombs in US reproduction centers.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The mayor of Palm Springs, Ron Deharte, said that the city is working with state, regional and county offices to carry “all possible resources” to residents and small businesses affected by the explosion, which according to the reports felt more than two miles away and damaged windows and walls in nearby buildings.
He said that the City Council would seek the creation of programs to support damaged companies, including the reduction of tariffs for permits construction and accelerate processes to obtain new permits, commercial licenses and inspections.
“This act,” he said, “will never dissuade us. Love always triumphs in Palm Springs.”
This article is part of the times' Variable income report initiative, financed by him James Irvine Foundationexploring the challenges faced by low -income workers and the efforts that are being made to address The Economic Division of California.
