Boise refugee's story inspires episode of new Apple TV show

Shadi Ismail is a gay Syrian refugee whose real-life story inspired the series finale episode of Little America, a new Apple TV show highlighting immigrants in the U.S.

KAREN LEHR..A BOISE MAN'SSTORY OF HOPE ANDRESILIENCE... IS NOWBEING SEEN AROUNDTHE WORLD.SHADI ISMAIL IS AGAY SYRIANREFUGEE ..

WHOSEREAL-LIFE STORYINSPIRED THE SERIESFINALE OF "LITTLEAMERICA" -- A NEWAPPLE T-V SHOW ...HIGHLIGHTINGIMMIGRANTS IN THEU-S.WE FIRSTINTRODUCED YOU TOHIM FOUR YEARSAGO... AND NOW HISJOURNEY FROM THEMIDDLE EAST TO THETREASURE VALLEY...IS REACHING AGLOBAL AUDIENCE."SEEING MY WHOLELIFE, LIVE IN IT, ANDTO SEE THE ACTORLIVE IN MY EMOTION,IT JUST BROUGHTTEARS TO MY EYES.WE COULDN'T STOPCRYING, ALL OF US.IT'S AN EMOTIONALJOURNEY WITH ANOVERWHELMINGLYHAPPY ENDING...SITTING ON A COUCHIN BOISE, IDAHO NEXTTO HIS HUSBAND,IAN... SHADI ISMAILWATCHES HIS OWNSTORY ON APPLE T-V.NATS: [VISAAPPROVED SCENE] IWILL NEVER FORGETHOW I WAS FLYING,LIKE MY HEART WASFLYINGIN 30 MINUTES..

THEEPISODE TITLED "THESON" SHOWS ISMAIL'SYEARS-LONG FIGHTFOR FREEDOM ...AFTER HISTRADITIONAL SYRIANFAMILY FOUND OUTHE WAS GAY..I DID KNOW ONE TIMEIN JORDAN ... WHEN IGAVE UP ..

ANDWANTED TO TAKE MYLIFE ..

I KNEW I WASMEANT FORSOMETHING BIGGERTHAN MYSELFNOW, HE SAYS - IT'SNOT JUST HIS STORYANYMORE.NATS: OH BOISE!LOOK!IT'S ABOUT SO MANYOTHERS..

WHO CANSEE THEMSELVES INHIS CHARACTERNAMED "RAFIQ".THEY TALKED TO MEALMOST EVERYWEEK, WE SPENTHOURS, ME AND THEWRITERSI FEEL NOW MY LIGHTIS LIGHTING SO MANYPEOPLE'S WAY, TOSEE YOU CAN MAKEIT, YOU CAN DO IT; ICAME HERESPEAKING ZEROENGLISH, I LOSTEVERYTHING, BUILTEVERYTHING FROMTHE BEGINNINGBECAUSE SOMETIMESYOU HAVE TO LOSEEVERYTHING TO GAINANYTHING.PRODUCTIONSTARTED IN 20-18 BUTISMAIL'S EPISODEALMOST DIDNTHAPPEN -- BECAUSEOF THE TRAVEL BANPUT INTO PLACE IN2017.SOME OF THEPUT INTO PLACE IN2017.SOME OF THEEPISODE'S ACTOR'SARE FROM THEAFFECTEDCOUNTRIES..

SO THECREW SHOT THESHOW IN CANADA.HIS ENTIRE LIFE... HELONGED TO SEE ASTORY HE COULDRELATE TO ON T-V ..AND NOW IT'S HISSTORY -- FEATURINGAN ARABIC GAYACTOR -- INSPIRINGOTHERS."I HAD THEEXPERIENCE, I HADTHE PAIN, THESUFFERING; BUTNOW I CAN TURN ITINTO SOMETHINGBETTER SO PEOPLECAN BELIEVE YOUHAVE HOPE, YOU CANMAKE IT ANYWHEREYOU GO, YOU CANFIND HOME WHENYOU WANT TO BEHOME, YOU KNOW.HIS STORY IS STILLTOO CONTROVERSIALFOR SOMESOCIETIES.THE EPISODE --BANNED IN NEARLY ADOZEN COUNTRIES.THE ORIGINAL 12STORIES FEATUREDIN EPIC MAGAZINEARE BEINGPUBLISHED INTO ABOOK -- AVAILABLENEXT MONTH...AND APPLE T-V HASALREADY SIGNED ONFOR A SECONDSEASON OF "LITTLE