NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. (PIX11) — Seventeen-year-old Marzia Zada’s story of survival is incredible and harrowing.

Marzia’s father and brother were shot and killed in a roadside ambush by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2012. One of the bullets hit Marzia in the face, taking out her eye. She was successfully fitted with a prosthetic eye, but constant crying from a damaged tear duct caused years of infections. Doctors at Northwell Health performed surgery to fix that.

Marzia thanked her doctors for their care during a press conference at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park on Long Island Wednesday.

Marzia’s experience has inspired her to want to be a doctor herself someday. She hopes the Taliban will reopen schools in her country so women can once again study and become professionals.

The Global Medical Relief Fund helped bring Marzia and her sister from Afghanistan for treatment. They hope to keep the sisters here in America permanently.