A New Year, a New Me – Wounded Soldiers on the Path to Recovery

At 23, Sergeant First Class I. in the 55th Brigade, was called to reserves when the Swords of Iron War began. He was quickly thrust into frontline combat. He and his unit fought in the devastated communities near the border of Gaza before later joining the maneuver into Gaza, where they spent two months in heavy fighting around Khan Yunis.

After completing this rotation, he was released and spent some time traveling, exploring different countries and cultures.

But service called him back. Just two days before Yom Kippur 2024, I. returned to active duty, this time sent to Lebanon for another reserve rotation. The operation in Lebanon was meant to be a routine, two-week effort carried out alongside the armored corps, targeting Hezbollah. The mission was clear: neutralize the Hezbollah fighters occupying the village.

But, everything changed in seconds.

I. and his team were moving through a partially destroyed building when a grenade landed nearby. His friend was shot in the leg and fell down a staircase. For a brief moment, he froze, but then instinct and training took over. He grabbed his gun and moved to engage against the terrorist.

With bullets flying through the air, I. was hit twice: once in his right hand, and once near his left hip, shattering the bone completely. He fell back, dragging himself with one hand and one leg, the weight of his gear making every movement agonizing. “I stayed conscious. The pain didn’t kill me. I have an insane amount of luck,” he remembers. Despite the injury, no major arteries were hit, but the damage to his hip was severe.

As gunfire continued around him, he worked with his fellow soldiers to seek safety. Every second was a fight for survival, but even in those moments, I.’s mind focused on one thing: moving to stay alive.

The evacuation was grueling. A journey by tank, hummer vehicle, and helicopter followed, with I. in extreme pain. His thoughts raced about the ongoing battle, his equipment, and whether his team was safe.

Upon arrival at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, I. was met by a team of twenty medical staff ready to treat his severe injuries. The scale of his wounds was staggering: a shattered hip and a severely damaged hand. Multiple surgeries followed, including a hip replacement. A procedure usually reserved for much older patients.

The first weeks of rehabilitation were hard for I. Fully immobile and dependent on diapers, he spent four and a half months learning to operate a wheelchair with only one foot. 

“It was the lowest point of my life…going from an operating soldier on the ground to being like an 80-year-old,” he says. Every movement brought pain, and even the simplest tasks felt impossible.

Now, as the Jewish New Year - Rosh Hashanah - approaches, I. looks back on the past year and its hardest days as a turning point. Rehabilitation tested not just his body, but his mind. “You just have to bite your teeth, bite your tongue,” he explains. “You have to go through the struggles, and you just have to understand that every day will get better.”

Rehabilitation tested not just his body, but his mind. Two days after his hip replacement surgery, I. was standing on his own feet, performing daily tasks without assistance. “I could do whatever I want with no help,” he says.

But the mental challenge was just as demanding. “Everything became easier because the biggest challenge was officially over… it was mental. I conquered the biggest hill, and now whatever it is going to be, it's going to be much easier,” he emphasizes.

Learning to play instruments again became one of I.’s goals in recovery. Regaining function in his hand was crucial, and over time he proudly reached the point where, “I can do it fluently now, just like the old days.” Music had always been an important part of his life, and returning to it symbolized reclaiming a piece of himself. Occupational therapy, psychological sessions, and daily exercises became the pillars of his recovery.

Support from family, friends, and fellow soldiers boosted his spirit. “It was burning in me to show that what happened is not going to destroy me,” I. says.

“I discovered the inner force in me, what I can do, and what it means.” His drive was fueled by personal determination and a sense of mission: To honor his unit, his friends, and the sacrifices made in battle.

Approaching a year since being shot, I. can walk and even run, though he continues to rebuild strength and mobility. His goals are ambitious: “I want to go hiking again… travel the world… and do it with my girlfriend,” he says. 

Beyond practical ambitions, he carries a deeper purpose. “I seriously think that we have a mission this year, and it's to explain that we as Jewish people, we are strong and we are not going anywhere,” he reflects.

Looking back, I. sees his journey as a path of growth. “I feel like from what I felt at least my lowest point, I can really grow from,” he says. He has discovered resilience, patience, and a newfound love for himself. For I., survival isn’t just about staying alive, it’s about standing tall, and showing that even after the hardest injuries, you can always “see a light at the end of the tunnel.”