About The Book
My Struggles: Where It All Begins is a powerful memoir of survival, resilience, and purpose forged through war, exile, and service.
Born in Kurdistan amid political persecution and violence, Halk Chamsayidi’s childhood was shaped by displacement, loss, and uncertainty. When his father was wrongfully imprisoned and later tortured, Halk learned early that safety was never guaranteed. Forced to flee chemical attacks and cross borders on foot, his family spent harrowing years in a refugee camp before resettling in the United States with nothing but hope and determination.
What follows is not simply the story of an immigrant chasing the American Dream, it is the story of a man who rebuilt himself again and again. From struggling to speak English in American classrooms to standing on the front lines as an EMT, firefighter, paramedic, business owner, and eventually a law enforcement officer serving multiple departments from San Diego to Williamson County, Halk’s journey is defined by perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.
With unflinching honesty, he recounts life inside refugee camps, the scars of domestic trauma, the pressure of survival, and the emotional toll of serving others in moments of crisis. Yet this memoir is equally a testament to faith, family, mentorship, and the belief that hardship can become a training ground for purpose.
My Struggles: Where It All Begins is a story for anyone who has ever felt displaced, underestimated, or on the brink of giving up. It reminds us that strength is not born from comfort, but from the courage to keep moving forward when there is no other choice.
This is not just where the struggle began; it is how a life of service was forged.
About The Author
I was born in a city called Duhok in Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. As a child I moved around and lived through several wars. The first war was the Iran/Iraq war in the 1980s and lasted until 1987. Second was when Iraqi regime used chemical weapon in the city of Halabja at the end of Iran/Iraq war.
Then it was the first Gulf war in the 1991 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. I grew up without a father despite he was physically there but mentally never was. I began to rely on myself only as no one ever saw any potential in me and I was always doubted, yet I proved people wrong time after time. I dedicate this book to the memory of my father and everyone who supported me through out my childhood.
