The Mystery Soldier

[Rudy Spillman]

The following is a true story sent to me by Hanna Azoulay, Its aim is to avoid unnecessary abortions in the State of Israel. But I, personally, find in this story, one of those mysterious unanswered questions that help us to appreciate that love and its miraculous waves are always there, although we sometimes seem otherwise. And no matter how long it takes, prove always comes to us.

R. S.


Who was the Mystery Soldier who left the hospital so quickly?

Yoni, an Israeli Defense Force soldier stationed in Hebron, was shot
by an Arab terrorist. It happened very early in the morning, and no
one else was awake to hear it. Yoni passed out and was bleeding
steadily, his life was heading toward a silent end.

But another soldier stationed nearby heard the shot and went to
investigate. He found a fellow Israeli soldier bleeding to death. He
tried the best he could to stop the bleeding and called for help.
Waiting for help to arrive, he kept applying pressure to the wound-
literally holding Yoni's life in his hands.

Yoni was taken to a hospital in Be'er Sheva where he underwent
surgery. Yoni's parents were notified and they rushed to the hospital.
Imagine the fear of the parents who were only told "your son has been
injured and is in the hospital." When they arrived the doctor told
them that Yoni was shot but will be alright. Had it not been for the
immediate actions of the other soldier, their son Yoni would have bled
to death. It was a miracle that the other soldier heard what no one
else heard, and managed to locate Yoni as quickly as he did. The
parents wanted to thank that soldier, but he had just left the
hospital after hearing that the soldier he helped would survive.

While recuperating at home, Yoni and his parents called the army to
find out the name of the other soldier so they could thank him
personally. Unfortunately, that soldier's name was not recorded and
although they tried to ask around they simply couldn't track down who
that other soldier was.

Yoni's mother knew that the important thing of course is that Yoni is
well, yet she couldn't help feeling that as long as she couldn't meet
and thank the solider who bravely saved her son's life- the entire
frightening episode is still not fully over. Not being able to thank
the soldier continued to give her an empty feeling… but then she had
an idea.

The couple owned a grocery store in Kiryat Malachi (a town near
Ashkelon), so they decided to put up a sign in the store, describing
what happened, figuring that Israel is a small country and eventually
they might found out who the mystery soldier was.

Months passed with no response. Finally, one morning about a year
later, a woman customer noticed the sign hanging by the door of the
store. She recalled how happy her son Yair was when he came home one
Friday night and told them how he heard a shot and was able to save
another soldier's life in Hebron. She went back and told the owner of
the store. The story matched. The two women now decided to try to
reach their sons on cell phones and see if they could meet at the
store. Fortunately it turned out that both the young men and even the
fathers were able to all meet that afternoon at the store.

The families soon gathered for an emotional "rendezvous". The soldiers
recounted army experiences and finally after all this time Yoni's
mother could stand up and thank Yair for saving her son's life or as
she put it, "You saved my world". She looked forward to feeling
"completion" after all this time by thanking the soldier, but little
did she know that the story was hardly complete.

After the tearful thank you, Yair's mother quietly pulled her aside
and asked to speak with her outside. The two women went out alone. And
she asked Yoni's mother: "Look at me- you don't remember me?" "No, I'm
sorry did we meet before? she responded. "Yes. You see there is a
particular reason I came into your store today… I used to live here
and this time I was just passing by but I wanted to give you my
business, even though I was only buying a few things."

"What are you talking about? Yoni's mother asked. "Twenty years ago I
used to live around here and came all the time to buy milk and
bread... One day you noticed that I looked really down and you were so
nice and asked me why I was so down and I confided in you. I told you
that I was going through a very difficult time and on top of that I
was pregnant and planning on having an abortion. As soon as I said
"abortion" you called your husband over and the two of you didn't seem
to care about your own store but sat down and patiently listened to me
and I remember what you said.

"You told me that it is true that I was going through a hard time but
sometimes the good things in life come through difficulty, and the
best things come through the biggest difficulties. You spoke of the
joy of being a mother and that the most beautiful word to hear in the
Hebrew language is "Ima" (mother) when spoken by one's child.. you
both spoke and spoke until I was convinced that I actually should have
this baby- so you see G-d paid you back!"

What do you mean? asked Yoni's mother. I had a boy twenty years ago
that you saved by telling me to think twice before doing the abortion.
With happy tears she declared, "My beloved Yair wouldn't have been
alive if not for you. He was the one you were looking for. He was the
one who grew up to save your son, Yoni's life!"