Aldarraji recounts a childhood filled with severe medical issues: life-threatening illnesses of the immune, respiratory, and cardiac systems.[4] She credits her parents for bestowing upon her both a feeling of self-confidence and a clear understanding of gender equality.[2] She furthermore cites her maternal aunt, Dalal Saleem, who is the first female pilot in Iraq, as a source of inspiration, particularly during her early life.[3] Aldarraji's father is a professional scientist and her mother is a specialist in English and French Literature.[4]