An earthquake victim as a teen, he wants to be a lawyer

Armenian receives new arms, supports family as teacher

In December 1988, an earthquake rocked the cities of Gyumri and Spitak, both in the Republic of Armenia, killing 20,000 people and injuring many more.

One of them was 14-year old Hratch Nalbandian, who was in school when the devastating earthquake struck. He was trapped under the rubble for 25 hours before he was freed.

Nalbandian was taken to the capital city of Yerevan, where both of his arms were amputated. His right arm was disarticulated at the chest wall, and his left arm was severed below the elbow.

Project HOPE, an international health care organization based in Washington, D.C., sponsored a 1989 airlift that brought 37 children to children’s hospitals throughout the United States.

Nalbandian and four others came to the Rehabilitation Institute at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He returned to Armenia later that year and attended winter and summer sport camps for psycho-social rehabilitation.

Chose law practice

Returning to the Rehab Center in 1992, Nalbandian was fitted with new arms, albeit hooks. He then completed law school in Yerevan with tuition paid by the Armenian Bar Association.

“Law was an interest of mine,” Nalbandian recalled. “It is an honorable, white-collar profession.”

He practiced contractual law for one year, but had to look for other financial opportunities because his village and neighboring communities could not provide adequate income potential.

Nalbandian was in Chicago recently to be fitted with new prostheses. The old ones were too short and his right arm was not working. In fact, it was being cannibalized to keep the left arm functional.

The Rehab Center offered a competitive price for the prostheses, and the Armenian government is paying the bill.

“Seeing how well-balanced Hratch is today is a credit to this type of rehabilitation,” said John Wilhelm, executive director of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago. The society provides access to community-based health care to uninsured and underserved children and women.

“John works on helping those with prostheses and who in general suffer handicaps,” said Ann Lousin, a professor at The John Marshall Law School and chair of an Armenian Bar Association Genocide Project Committee. “John’s a saint.”

Turned to teaching

Nalbandian, who is married and has three children, teaches Armenian and world history at the high school in his village.

“Teaching is okay,” he said, “but I would prefer something more challenging.” He would consider moving to the U.S. and practicing law, but realizes “that personally and professionally it is not realistic.”

Contrasting American and Armenian law, Nalbandian said “Armenian law is much more basic; Armenia is not a litigious society.”

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