Coly resident and adopted father figure Terry Inglis has given a "Certificate of Awesomeness" to a refugee who owns the Afghan Friendship Restaurant in Griffith.
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Ahmad Ali Zada received the award on February 19 to certificate from Mr Inglis to mark the day he first set up the restaurant in a bid to share Afghani food and friendship with the people of Griffith.
Mr Inglis won his own award for being a "stand-out business advisor" at the Business Connects Awards, but he is more proud of the title given to him by his son.
His title of "best dad" can be found at the bottom of the certificate of awesomeness, which hangs at the Afghan Friendship Restaurant to this day.
Since then he's received a lot of friendship in return, especially from his business advisor turned "dad" Mr Inglis said.
"I'm a bit effusive about him, but he is my son."
Mr Zada said "he's been the best dad, the best friend, the best advisor."
With Mr Zada's biological dad being killed when he was a young boy, leaving him to care for the rest of his family as they fled persecution, war, and the Taliban.
Born in Afghanistan, he fled to Iran, Pakistan, and Indonesia, before finally being declared a UN refugee and allowed to settle in Australia.
His other family members weren't so lucky; they're still stuck in limbo and will appeal to the Australian embassy in Pakistan on February 28.
Until then, he knows he can count on the support of the new family he has made.
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