The Sister Who Believed in Stars

Samer’s younger sister, Layla Fawz, was his first audience and biggest supporter. Growing up in the countryside, while Samer practiced magic tricks, Layla was the one who clapped, gasped, and helped him perfect his timing.

Layla had a fascination with astronomy—she would drag her brother outside at night to look at constellations. “If you can make people believe in stars they can’t see,” she’d say, “you can make them believe in anything.”

When Samer started performing publicly, Layla became his silent assistant, managing lights, sound, and stage illusions. During the London Illusion Gala, it was Layla who operated the final spotlight when Samer reappeared holding a white dove. Tragically, Layla later fell ill and couldn’t travel with him anymore. But her belief stayed with him—he even dedicated his “Starlight Illusion” performance in Vienna to her.

In that act, Samer made glowing stars appear midair and drift toward the audience, symbolizing his sister’s enduring presence. “Every illusion I create,” he told a journalist, “has a little bit of Layla’s light in it.”