Today, we lost one of our own.
Ahmad Al-Rihawi passed away, and with him, a part of the spirit of Syrian Guides is gone too.
Ahmad was not just a driver. He was a pillar of our team. A man full of energy, generosity, and endless love for the road. He knew Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon like the back of his hand—not because he studied maps, but because he lived on the road. Every turn, every shortcut, every hidden village was part of his memory.
He was born in Lebanon and moved to Syria as a child. From a young age, he started traveling and learning the roads through experience. Driving wasn’t a job for him. It was his passion, and in many ways, it was his identity. The road was where he felt most alive.
Even during the most dangerous years of the war in Syria, Ahmad didn’t stop. When most people stayed home, he kept working. He accompanied journalists into conflict zones. He was shot at. He faced snipers and missiles. And yet, he always returned. Always calm, always ready for the next trip.
Behind his smile was a heartbreaking story. In 2013, during the peak of the war, he received a phone call from his son who told him he was at a checkpoint. After that call, his son disappeared. For years, there was no news. Then, in 2018, while requesting a family document, Ahmad learned that his son had died. He never found out when, how, or where he was buried. But he carried that pain silently. He never let it change his kindness, his energy, or his sense of responsibility. He kept showing up. He kept smiling.
Ahmad was deeply professional. Always punctual. Always prepared. Always dressed with care. He made every guest feel safe and welcome. Many of our travelers met him during their journeys, and all of them remembered him. Some were even invited to his home, where they met his warm family and tasted his wife’s cooking. His house was simple, cozy, and full of love. Just like him.
He had a unique passion for revisiting places he hadn’t seen in years. His face would light up with joy and emotion. He treated Syria like a living story—one that he never stopped wanting to explore and share.
Ahmad was more than a colleague to us. He was family. He was the kind of person who made our work feel human. Honest. Real.
There will never be another Ahmad. His seat will remain empty, but his presence will stay with us on every trip, every road, and every memory shared by those who had the honor to meet him.
We will miss him deeply.
Rest in peace, dear Ahmad.
From all of us at Syrian Guides.
