“Kais, he’s the smartest one in the section. With him, you feel like you’re talking to an adult. » In the voice of Toufik Gouijane, coach and creator of the Salle du Temps in Argenteuil (Val-d’Oise), pride mixes with emotion. Behind him, the battle room hums. During this holiday period, around ten young people are taking part in the club’s multi-sport course. If Toufik struggles to reorganize the group, he only has one first name in mind: that of Kaïs, 7 years old, the club’s little boxer, who has been hospitalized for a few weeks.
“Kais is a kid from the club, but above all a member of a family of boxers,” summarizes Toufik. His father, Aziz, has been a volunteer trainer at the combat gym for five years. His big brother, Yanis, 17, is today “one of the greatest hopes of his generation”, according to his former coach. Former French boxing champion, selected for the French team, he competes in tournaments, often international.
“We couldn’t let him carry this alone”
And then there’s Kais. He started boxing at the age of 4, “in the footsteps of his elders”, even though he was diagnosed with soft tissue cancer, a rare disease. “Even when he was weakened, he came to train,” says Toufik. He was told to do half the exercises, he did them all. He had a mental strength that I don’t even see in the greats. He stands out from the crowd. Heart on your sleeve, never selfish, always smiling despite the pain,” insists his coach.
Until a month ago, Kais frequented the room, gloves on his fists. “It seemed like he was holding on…and then everything went downhill very quickly. There were always ups and downs with his illness, but we understood that it was serious,” breathes Toufik. Emergency hospitalized at the Gustave Roussy Institute, in Villejuif (Val-de-Marne), the little boy was diagnosed with cerebral meningitis, an incurable disease at this stage.
Faced with the seriousness of the situation, the Time Room mobilized. An online prize pool was launched, relayed by members and beyond. In seven days, it exceeded 13,000 euros. “The doctors told the family it was getting complicated. So we decided to do what we know how to do here: help each other,” explains Toufik. Especially since Aziz, the father, “never asks for anything. He already has so much to manage: the hospital, Kais, and at the same time all the kids he gets involved with here. We couldn’t let him carry this alone. »
The initiative is part of the club’s DNA. “We have already opened funds to help families in the neighborhood, for a missing member of the club… Here, we are in the heart of Val-d’Argent, a difficult neighborhood, but with real solidarity. We are lucky to have many associations, we know how to take care of our young people. We instill a lot of values in them,” insists the coach.
“We didn’t give him 48 hours”
On the phone, Aziz takes the time to answer, between two trips in the corridors of the Gustave Roussy Institute, in Villejuif, where his son is followed. A room has been set up so that he can stay there with Yanis, the eldest, who is also still there. “I can no longer sleep at night. I live day by day, depending on my son’s condition,” confides the father, his voice tight.
Kais keeps his dreams intact in his hospital bed. “He still dreams of being a great muay-thai champion. He doesn’t know he’s dying…” his father says, his voice derailing. His parents cling to their boy’s wishes. “He’s really brave. When we arrived at the hospital, they didn’t give him 48 hours. He’s still hanging on. »
Yanis also holds on as best he can. Very touched by the worsening of his brother’s condition, he decided not to join the ranks of the France center in Nancy to remain close to him. “They are inseparable. Yanis told his brother to fight, to continue the fight,” says the father.
Messages from champions that keep him going
After the appeal launched by the gym, solidarity extended beyond Argenteuil. On the networks, Nicolas Anelka, Benoît Saint-Denis, Youssef Boughanem, and even Marquinhos sent messages and videos of support to Kais. Boxer Milan Prat came to visit the young boy and even offered to give him his recently won European championship belt. “When Kais sees these messages, his face lights up. It keeps him alive,” assures Aziz. The little boy has a dream: to receive a video from Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the short term, the family hopes to return home, “as soon as possible,” as soon as Kais’ condition allows. The prize pool will be used above all to bring “the most moments of happiness” to their son and to ease their daily lives. “We don’t care about the money. What we want is for him to have a good time, to be as happy as possible. We continue to believe in a miracle. We pray… and we cling to the strength of our son. I want to keep him with us,” says the father.
