It had been seven long years since anyone had heard Abdul Rashid Abdul Razak speak.

But in a Hamilton operating room on Sept. 16, the 35-year-old newcomer said the words “thank God,” with tears streaming down his face.

Next, he thanked the surgeon from St. Joseph’s Healthcare who gave him his voice back — a medical feat that so many had told Abdul Razak would never be possible.

“I had already seen so many doctors,” Abdul Razak told The Spectator in a strong and clear voice that showed no signs of how long he’d been silenced. “I was so happy when the doctors in Hamilton told me they would do the surgery. Honestly, I can’t even express how happy I felt. It was such a big relief and joyful moment for me.”

The surgery also meant that Abdul Razak no longer had to live breathing through a

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