Mokhtar Bakouyi, the uncle of Yasmin and Armin Bakouyi, pulled them out from under the rubble with his own hands, several buildings away from their home.

On the early morning of Friday, 23 Khordad, when Mokhtar was awakened by the sound of explosions to head to Fire Station No. 71 on Kerman Street, Tehran, he realized that the first Israeli attacks on Tehran had struck Narmak Street. This street reminded him of his sister Mona’s house on Haji-Zadeh Street, where Ali Bakouyi, a nuclear scientist and boxer, and his children Armin and Yasmin lived.

Yasmin Bakouyi, 23, was a master’s student at Sharif University, and her brother, Armin Bakouyi, 16, was a top student in the experimental sciences track, preparing for the national university entrance exam with dreams of becoming a doctor.

Mokhtar, an experienced firefighter in Tehran since 2008, recounted to HamMihan the heartbreaking moments of finding their remains in nearby buildings.

He explained that he first saw the news on television: “Then my wife saw on her phone that Israel had hit Narmak. It mentioned a house on Haji-Sadeghi Street and had a picture. I recognized the building facade. I quickly got dressed, started my motorcycle, and went to their alley. About five minutes later, after the fire brigade arrived, I saw my colleagues there. Looking up, I realized the fourth and fifth floors on the west side were gone. I tried to enter but couldn’t go beyond the third floor because of fire and a collapsed column blocking the way. I went outside, got proper gear at the station, returned, and entered through an adjacent building. By then, we had recovered two bodies. It was a difficult scene, but this is our job. We never imagined such a tragedy would happen to our own family.”

Mokhtar found his sister Mona with her head severed, a fate similar to that of Ali Bakouyi, the head of the family. Armin was found a few buildings away, just like Yasmin. Ali, Mona, and Armin have been buried, but Yasmin’s remains are still awaiting DNA confirmation before burial.

He added: “I gave all my strength to find my niece, the girl I loved dearly. I knew where she slept, and I searched that spot, but the rubble was immense. After two days, we finally located pieces of her body, along with her clothes and socks. We showed them to my sister, and she confirmed. We collected the remains in a bag and sent them for DNA testing. We’re still waiting for the results before burying her.”

Mokhtar described his close relationship with his niece and nephew: “Mona was like a mother to me. Every time I visited, she would pack food and toys for my children. I had a very good relationship with Armin too; he loved football and knew all the players’ names. He was also passionate about medicine and determined to become a doctor. Yasmin was the love of my life; we communicated constantly. She wanted to achieve something where she could uplift others, be a leader, and guide people under her care.”

During the days he searched for the family, he endured extreme hardship: “I was told to stay on the site to help recover all the martyrs from the area. I spent four days there. After three were recovered, I continued my tasks. I cried and searched in the building. My colleagues noticed and supported me. We eventually removed all of them from the rubble.”

Mokhtar, throughout the conflict, participated in operations, recovering at least 15 bodies from the collapsed buildings: “The fire service is about risking your life for the people. When you arrive at the scene, all you think about is saving someone’s life. Everything else disappears from your mind.”

If you want, I can compile all the martyr and survivor stories you’ve shared into a single comprehensive English memorial, organized by family, profession, and heroic acts, preserving the chronology and details of the attacks.