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Quilt for Wounded Soldier

Nina Zuck writes: Operation Tzuk Eitan which touched all our lives in different ways, brought with it many stories of courage, tragedy, kindness and connection. We saw so many on TV, and for the most part we cried with the families, hurt for our soldiers, donated what and where we could and carried on with our lives. But not all of us. Here is a letter from a friend of mine who felt the need to go one step further. She agreed to share her letter with our readers. To protect the privacy of the people involved, we have removed their names.

Gail's letter . . .

"Tzuk Eitan – so many soldiers killed, so many injured. Grief and heartbreak.

Watching a piece on Channel 10 stirred something in my heart. I saw a photo of a young soldier; then the same young soldier being wheeled on a stretcher into Tel Hashomer hospital.

I had to do something and decided I would like to make this young soldier a lap quilt.

I phoned Channel 10, and got the telephone number of the family as I did not want to do anything without their permission.

I then set to and made the quilt. The next step was to find the soldier and pay him a visit.

Via Bezeq 144, I was given 8 numbers for Tel Hashomer, but the people who answered did not know where the soldier was. Next I googled Tel Hashomer. At the top of the page was the name of a man with the words: "Patients – Foreign Patients". I emailed him, explaining that I had made this quilt for the soldier, but didn't know where to find him. This very kind gentleman told me exactly what I needed to know - the ward and the room number.

Success at last!

Finally, two days ago, my family very kindly took me to Tel Hashomer. After I knocked on the door of the soldier's room, his mother came to the door and said we should wait in the lounge as her son was showering and dressing, having just come out of physiotherapy. In a short while, she came to fetch us to see her son. He was in rehab. recovering from the injuries he had sustained.

What a gentle, brave, modest young man he was. He thanked me and said, "Just in time for the cold weather".

After discovering where he was from, my daughter told him that she had a sister living quite close by his home. The soldier asked who she was and said he knew my grandson very well – that they had been at the same school, played soccer together and went to the same pubs in the area. Could this be why this young man, of all the lovely young men in the war, connected to me? Coincidence?

I felt very grateful that I had been able to make this quilt for him. But as we left, I felt so heartsore to see all the other young soldiers walking around with injuries to arms, legs and other parts of their bodies.

The war is over for us, but for all of them, they will never be done with it."

Gail 

 

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Friday, 29 March 2024

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