The bochur Mordechai Maumo, who was miraculously saved from the “walkway of death” spoke on Radio Kol B’Ramah about what he endured during the Meron disaster.

“I was saved by a nes,” Mordechai said. “In the videos, you can see at least 10 of the niftarim right next to me.”

“It wasn’t possible to cross the barrier. I had friends standing above the wall who talked with me and poured water on me and that’s what saved me. If I would have been alone, I would have almost certainly lost consciousness and maybe not have survived.”

“His feet were stuck,” Mordechai’s father, Eliyahu, said: “If he would have fallen he would have been trampled and he wouldn’t have survived.”

“I saw the photos of the crowd and I saw my son. And I didn’t know what happened to him and I couldn’t reach him by phone. I don’t have the words to describe the stress of those moments.”

In light of his son’s close encounter with death, Eliyahu imparted some advice to parents of teenagers: “I have a million-dollar eitzah for every parent. We all have chinuch challenges with our children. Don’t get into unnecessary arguments with your children. Today, looking back – I understood how much I love my son – and I understand that all my chinuch problems were just my ego talking and weren’t worth it.”

“Always hug your children. Close your eyes and imagine that you’re searching for your child at Har Meron – and only then speak to your child. You’ll see how differently the conversation will go, you’ll see how much you love them.”

“After such a terrible trauma, he’s sleeping with us at night, like a baby, already for three days, and we’re suffusing him with love. Don’t reach this situation to show your love for your children,” he poignantly concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)