But a heavy has fallen on Morocco since Saturday night following the tragic death of five-year-old Ryan, who fell into a well last week and was trapped in it for five full days until he was rescued lifeless.
'Abd al-Haq al-Qawqbi, a resident of Morocco and a senior official at the Maimona agency working to improve relations between Jews and Muslims, told Israel Today about the kingdom's difficult time.
"It was a tragedy. We were hoping for a different scenario but God knows better. We feel sadness and despair."
Another narrator worked that "to be honest, falling into wells is not an unusual phenomenon in Morocco and especially in the periphery. These incidents happen all the time."
He adds that the policy of the authorities is usually to seal such wells.
Unfortunately, however, the well where the tragedy occurred was excavated shortly before the incident and remained abandoned after they were unable to draw water from it.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ryan left his home and fell into a well.
Documentation of rescue efforts // Photo: Arab networks
Al-Qawqabi says that unlike other cases, Ryan has become the talk of the day in his area of residence and the power of social media has done its thing.
"The story broke not only the borders of the village but the borders of Morocco and reached every person in the world," he said.
On the atmosphere in the kingdom he adds that many families in Morocco watched the story on TV and everyone prayed for the child’s well-being.
Abed also notes that the rescue team did its best, and the geographical conditions in the Chepcheon region of northern Morocco were very difficult.
"One of the Moroccan values we strive to preserve is the love and respect we have for children and adults. Last week Ryan had 36 million fathers, mothers, uncles and relatives," the resident emphasizes, referring to the estimated number of residents in Morocco.
"People came all the way to the village to help. Everyone was willing to help."
On Saturday night, King Muhammad VI spoke with Ryan's parents and expressed his condolences on the boy's death, on behalf of the entire kingdom.
Representatives of many countries around the world have expressed solidarity with Morocco and issued condolence messages.
"On my behalf and on behalf of the Government and the People of Israel, I send our sincere condolences to the family of the late boy Ryan, to the Moroccan people and His Majesty King Muhammad VI, that you will know no more sorrow," Prime Minister Bennett tweeted. It reads that "Egypt expresses its sincere condolences to Morocco, its government and its people on the death of Ryan." Saudi Arabia has issued a similar condolence statement.
Recall, the rescue efforts lasted for dozens of hours during which bulldozers dug a tunnel in an attempt to reach the bottom of the well horizontally.
The team eventually reached Ryan, but his death was determined shortly thereafter.
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