As soon as the deportation began his father with many other Armenians was killed in prison. Avedis was exiled with his mother and one sister. On their way to Harpoot the caravan was attacked by Kurds, who robbed them until the last penny and forced them to continue their way. Near Surudj a Turkish officer took his sister away but his mother asked the officer to take Avedis with. The man consented and brought both of them to his house and kept them many years. As his sister grew up, her master intended to marry her to a Turk, upon which one night taking advantage of the absence of their master both of them fled and reached safely Arabpounar, whence by our agent both were sent to our rescue-house.