It was only a day before the accident that Shmuel Ivgi saved the life of an 80 year-old lady who collapsed in her home. With a reassuring sense of calm, focused professionalism, Shmuel led the Eilat United Hatzalah rescue squad on successful resuscitation. It was then quite a shock when the Eilat team raced to the scene of a horrific car crash on the Arava highway, half expecting Shmuel’s car to be there before them. He was always a leader in saving lives. When the team saw the mangled wreck of Shmuel’s car and the badly bruised, barely conscious Shmuel struggling to live, they shifted into high gear. As they attempted to stabilize the critical injuries, the rapid response team of the fire department began to cut into the wreckage to free Shmuel. A helicopter landed briefly to whisk the severely injured Shmuel to Soroka Hospitals Trauma Room.

Word of the accident spread rapidly through the ranks of the United Hatzalah family. Units throughout the Holy Land began to organize a Tefilla Rally. At exactly 10:00PM on Sunday night tefillos began. From the Kosel in Jerusalem, to the Kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. From the kever of the Baba Sali in Netivot to the Kever of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes in Teverya. From the Kever of Rav Shach in Bnei Brak to the Beis Medrash Chabad in Lod. In Elad, Karmiel, Modiin Illit, Petach Tikva, Beit Shemesh, Chadera, Seret Vizhnitz in Haifa, Tel Zion and in homes, shuls and even on the road, fellow medics, friends and relatives stopped to join in a massive heartfelt outpouring of tears and tefillos to the Ribbono Shel Olam to save the life of one of the lifesavers.

Eli Pollak, National Volunteer Coordinator said “The volunteers in the organization are like one united family. When one part of the body hurts the whole body hurts. When one part of the family is hurt, the whole family is hurt”. Everybody felt that they had to do something to help out. In fact immediately after the tefillos there was a slight improvement in Shmuel’s condition. Shmuel is nonetheless in extremely critical condition, unconscious and intubated.  As I write this, word has just come in that Shmuel has begun to move his extremities. Please join us in davening for Shmuel Moshe ben Esther Yafeh among all the sick and injured among Klal Yisrael.

(YWN Desk – Israel)