LA Man Remembers Fallen Soldier Humayan Khan

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A fallen soldier protected kids from bullying long before his name became linked to a presidential campaign controversy, according to a Los Angeles man.

Capt. Humayan Khan died fighting off a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004. His father, Khizr Khan, spoke about him during a speech at the Democratic convention July 28. In that speech, the elder Khan criticized Donald Trump. Those remarks led to a public feud.

Amir Guerami was Humayan Khan's childhood friend. Guerami doesn't speak publicly about politics, but he does remember Humayan Khan as a defender when they were both in school middle school in Maryland 25 years ago. Both were Muslim immigrants.

"Some kid started bullying me," remembers Guerami, 38. "He hit me right on the side of my mouth, and I was gasping for air. That's when I met Captain Khan."

Guerami, now a mortgage broker and father of two, says Khan came to his defense and became a longtime friend and supporter.

"I was 185 pounds trying out for a freshman basketball team," Guerami said. "He didn't laugh at me. He said, 'You want to do it, go do it. Don't be afraid.' And I did it."

The two lost touch after high school. Guerami didn't hear Humayan Khan's name again until his father took the stage at the convention last month in Philadelphia.

"When I heard the name, I saw his picture. His face hadn't changed," said Guerami, who said he wants to reach out to Khan's parents and tell them how their son helped rescue a kid from a bully long ago.