Then, two missiles ripped into the houses, killing the man's wife and one of his daughters, his brother, and four other family members. Actor Edward Norton started the fundraiser for the refugee, who plans to patent inventions when he moves to the United States. Credit:Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images He fled to Istanbul with his remaining son and daughter, but the trio were destitute, as their home had been looted after it was bombed. All were left traumatised by the experience. "My son had to carry the pieces of his mother and sister out of the house. He was fourteen at the time. He was so smart. He was the top of his class. He's not the same," the man said on one of the HONY posts. "Right after it happened, he'd write 'mom' in his notebook over and over. He'd cry all night long. Two years have passed but he's still suffering very much. It's very hard for him to focus. He gets tired very easily. My daughter was in the house too. She still has shrapnel in her neck. We survived but we're dead psychologically. Everything ended for us that day."

The man tried in vain to get work in Istanbul, but even at a local university – where one of his books was being taught – he had no luck. The man with his children, who were inside their house when it was hit by a missile, killing their mother and sister. Credit:Humans of New York/Facebook He believes the stress contributed to him developing stomach cancer, which he hopes can be treated by an operation when he and his children settle as refugees in the US state of Michigan.

"My friend in America tells me that it's an easy surgery, but I'm fighting against time," the man said. "It's spreading, and I think that soon it will move beyond my stomach. And then there's nothing I can do." When the man's story was shared on Facebook, US President Barack Obama was quick to say the man's story was an "inspiration" and said he was proud he would pursue his dreams in America.

Obama's comments were followed days later by a call from Hollywood actor Edward Norton, who offered to host a fundraiser for the man. Urging people to donate, Norton said the scientist's story had moved him to tears. "This man has suffered profound loss that would crush the spirit of many people and yet he still passionately wants a chance to contribute positively to the world. If we don't welcome people like this into our communities and empower his dream of making an impact with his life, then we're not the country we tell ourselves we are. "Let's reject the 'anti-human' voices that tell us to fear refugees and show this man and his family what Americans are really made of. Let's show that a country built by the energy and dreams of immigrants still believes in brave people who come here with hope for better life."

An hour after the fundraiser launched on Sunday morning AEST, it had attracted $US100,000 in donations. Stanton said the scientist's story had shaken him deeply. "His life had been so tragic, but throughout the entire interview, he kept returning to his desire to help mankind," Stanton said. "He didn't want to die before making a contribution to humanity, and he felt that he was running out of time. "Hopefully this fundraiser will change that, ensuring that he can focus his amazing mind on his dream of changing the world."

