 His older brother was Abebe Damtew.In 1896, "Fitawrari" Damtew Ketena was killed at the Battle of Adwa.As boys, "Lij" Desta Damtew and his brother "Lij" Abebe Damtew served at the Imperial Palace in Addis Ababa as pages to Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taitu Bitul.