Yahoo TV

Beirut blast survivor Shady Rizk remembers August 4 of last year like it was yesterday, when a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded in the Lebanese capital's port, just moments from his office.

"Every day is August 4, every day, every day. Every day, I remember the blast or remember what happened on that dreadful day."

Rizk was working for an internet provider when smoke started rising from the initial explosion.

He was filming the scene when a second blast hit.

Over 200 people were killed, thousands injured, and the city was left in ruin.

Rizk needed 350 stitches all over his face and body, and his vision has been partially impaired.

He now considers the day of his near-death experience as his re-birth.

But, as doctors continue to extract debris from his body, the trauma remains.

"I am still healing. Until now, there's a lot of scars that didn't yet heal. There's still a lot of glass, and it looks like there will still be glass coming out and more scars appearing. The internal scars are even worse, I may physically heal eventually but psychologically, I don't know when I will heal."

Rizk is one of many Lebanese angry about the stalling of an investigation into the blast 12 months on.

He is now seeking a fresh start in Canada, where he hopes to live by October this year.

"I don't feel safe in my country, this is why I want to leave. I want to leave and this is the hardest decision I took in my life."

Currently though, he lives at his family home in a Beirut suburb, which looks out onto the port.

A constant reminder of that day.

"I honestly don't know what I will do on August 4 but for sure, I will be on the streets, I will be here."